The Thorny Rose 3: A Spring Clean for the May Queen
by Brennus
Summary: The third and final part of the Thorny Rose trilogy. Voldemort is again without a body, Ron has vanished and our favourite couple now know the contents of the prophecy. More importantly, Sirius is getting married. What will Harry and Ginny do now to finally put the Wizarding World to rights.
1. Chapter 1 – Secrets and Lies

**Chapter 1 – Secrets and Lies **

AN

Yes, I'm back again with the final part of the Thorny Rose trilogy. Well, this was a strange one to write! Despite having the whole thing planned out in some detail before I typed the first word, it still managed to surprise me in places. Unlike TR2 where I had to scrap most of my literary detours, the ones in this story all made the cut.

I will be continuing my habit of showing Harry and Ginny as typical British teenagers, so expect a lot of sex, violence and underage drinking in this. Ah, it all reminds me of my teenage years. Apart from the sex, of course.

I'm delighted to say that Arnel is back on board and she really did the fastest beta job on this that I've ever seen! You really wouldn't believe that were separated by thousands of miles and a huge time difference. Thanks, Arnel!

* * *

It was one of those perfect summer's days that occurs all too infrequently in England. The sun was shining brightly in a cloudless blue sky, but the temperature was not unbearable by any means. A gentle breeze rustled the leaves on the tree Ginny was lying under and cooled her brow. The air carried the scent of meadow flowers and freshly cut grass. It was a day that practically cried out for you to do nothing but find a comfortable spot and let the hours drift blissfully away.

A soft pair of lips gently pressed to her forehead caused Ginny to crack open one eye. She saw Harry smiling at her and she leaned in to claim a more substantial kiss before resting her head against his chest again. She sighed contentedly at the feel of his strong arm wrapped around her and the sound of his heart beating in his chest. If anyone was ever to ask her to describe what an absolutely perfect moment would be for her, this would be it.

"What are you thinking about?" Harry asked softly. It was the first words either of them had spoken in over an hour. They'd been happy to just lie under this tree in each other's arms.

"Just how much I love this," she replied. "Just the two of us here. No evil Dark Lords, no corrupt Ministry officials and no meddling old Headmasters. Just us. Why?"

"You had the most contented smile on your face," Harry said warmly. "You looked so happy. Not to mention radiantly beautiful, of course."

Ginny opened her eyes and smirked at him. "Laying it on a bit thick, aren't we? Is someone hoping to get lucky just because my parents aren't here?"

"Miss Weasley!" he exclaimed with mock outrage. "How dare you suggest I would take advantage of your parents' hospitality and trust in me by ravaging their only daughter as soon as their backs are turned. That said, if you feel like a bit of skinny-dipping in the river, I'm up for it."

"I bet you are," she laughed. "Tempting as that sounds, I don't know when mum will be back, so we'd better not. You'll just have to wait and sneak into my bedroom again tonight."

"Is that the rule? When you stay at Grimmauld Place you have to sneak into my bedroom, but when I stay here at the Burrow I have to sneak into yours?" he asked in amusement.

"Of course," she replied pompously. "It's only good manners, don't you know?"

Harry gently chucked, but then frowned. "Are your parents still having no luck in finding Ron?" he asked carefully.

"No, there's been no sign of him," she admitted.

Ever since her brother ran away, she'd been carrying a massive burden of guilt around with her. It had been her manoeuvrings that had deepened the rift between Harry and Ron that had ultimately caused her brother to make some rash and ill-advised choices. Her angry remark about Ron 'no longer being a Weasley' had probably thrown fuel on the fire, too. To make things worse, they had yet to tell her parents about Ron's attempt to take blood from Harry, and Ginny doubted that they would take it well.

"It's not your fault," Harry insisted, correctly guessing what she was thinking. "If anything, it's my fault for not trying to repair our friendship harder. If I'd just tried talking to Ron…"

"No, Harry, don't you dare try taking the blame for this," Ginny told him firmly. "It was my manipulation that widened the split between you two and my words that finally drove him away."

"Maybe, but you didn't start this, did you? It was Ron that flew into a strop when I said I didn't enter myself in the Triwizard Tournament, and he was responsible for making the choices that he did," Harry replied.

"I know you're right, but… I just wish I could talk to him again, you know?" Ginny said sadly.

"Actually, I hate to say it, but I'm starting to think that Ron running away was a good thing," Harry admitted hesitantly.

"What? How can you believe that?" Ginny asked sharply.

"I've been doing a lot of thinking and I've tried to put myself in his shoes," Harry explained. "Ron made a lot of bad choices and he's alienated just about everyone he called a friend. I know that if I was in his position I wouldn't want to face anyone knowing what I'd done. In his letter, he said that he wanted to get his head straight and he's not going to be able to do that if he's suffering from a huge wave of guilt every time he looks at you or me. Heaven knows, I've just wanted to run away enough times in the past, and I think he needs that space from everyone before he can pull himself back together."

"But will he be alright? Ron's never had to look after himself before, and I don't think he even knows how to. What will he do for money? How will he eat?" she asked despondently.

"I don't know, but I do think he'll be up for the challenge. He needs to learn to stand on his own two feet and stop worrying about what everyone else thinks of him. When he doesn't let his emotions get in the way, Ron's got a good head on his shoulders. I think he'll do alright, and when he does come back, he'll be stronger and wiser for the experience," Harry said decisively.

Ginny shook her head and smiled at her boyfriend. "You amaze me, sometimes," she told him. "After everything Ron has done to you, you're still rooting for him, aren't you?"

"He was my best friend, Ginny," Harry said quietly. "I can't just throw that away."

She nodded and decided to change the subject.

"Are you all ready for the trial tomorrow?" she asked. "We'll finally get the chance to have Lucius bloody Malfoy locked up for good."

"Yeah, and Fudge won't be able to just pardon him this time," Harry snorted in amusement.

Fudge was hanging onto his political career by the skin of his teeth as more and more damning information was coming to light about him every day. For the Minister to try and get involved in the case would be suicidal.

"Do you think it's time we gave old Fudgy the final push?" Ginny asked in glee. "All we have to do is release that information that Percy and Audrey found and it's bye-bye Cornelius."

"Let's wait until we get everybody together after the trial before we decide," Harry insisted. "We need to figure out how we want to play this."

"Are you still going to tell Sirius and the others about the prophecy like you planned?" she asked nervously.

"Yeah, they all deserve to hear it," Harry replied. "Besides, it's not like it's going to be a huge surprise to everyone. We practically guessed what it was going to say even before we opened that damn orb."

They had rescued the orb containing the prophecy from the Ministry undamaged just a few weeks before and, as soon as they had been alone, they had opened it. It had confirmed that Harry had the power to vanquish Voldemort, but precious little else. Frankly, neither of them could understand why Dumbledore was so adamant that Harry shouldn't hear it.

"Even so, it's going to come as a shock to some people. I dread to think how Hermione's going to take the news," Ginny said apprehensively.

"I'm sure it's pretty much what she'll be expecting," Harry disagreed. "She's probably worked out what the prophecy says already."

"You're probably right," Ginny conceded. "I'm starting to get hungry. Do you want to head inside and grab some lunch?"

"Sounds like a good idea," Harry agreed.

Hand in hand, they headed back to the Burrow and entered the kitchen. Molly was once again out searching for her missing son and as the twins had recently moved into their own flat in Diagon Alley, the house was deserted.

They rummaged about in the pantry before deciding neither of them could be bothered to cook anything. As Mrs Weasley had baked a mouth-watering loaf of crusty bread the day before, they settled for a Ploughman's lunch. They had just finished eating when Mrs Weasley herself stepped through the door.

"Hello, Mum," Ginny greeted her. "Any luck?"

"No, not a sign of him," Molly replied wearily before sitting down heavily on the nearest chair. "I'm starting to run out of places to look. It's like he's vanished off the face of the planet."

"Would you like a cup of tea, Mrs Weasley?" Harry asked. "We only just put the kettle on."

"You're very kind, Harry, I'd love a cup," Molly said fondly.

Harry instantly leapt to his feet to make the drink while Ginny eyed her mother apprehensively.

"You know, I expect Ron will turn up when he's good and ready," she ventured. "He probably just has a lot on his mind and needed somewhere quiet to think."

Molly's eyes narrowed. "Are you sure there isn't anything you haven't told me about your brother's disappearance?" she asked intently.

Ginny bit her bottom lip. Should she tell her mother the real reason Ron ran away? Would it help in any way, or just make her mother feel worse?

"There you go," Harry said, setting a steaming mug of tea down in front of Mrs Weasley.

"Thank you, dear, you're very kind. Now, would you be a love and pop off for a bit? I'd like to talk to my daughter alone," Molly asked with a quiet intensity.

"Oh, I'll… err, go and take a bath, I guess," Harry mumbled in surprise.

"That's a good idea. There should be plenty of hot water," Molly replied with a rather forced smile. Harry vanished up the stairs leaving an anxious Ginny behind.

Molly continued to stare at her intently until Ginny began to fidget under her stern gaze. "Your tea's getting cold," she said lamely.

"I asked you a question, Ginny," Molly said. "Please, I'm begging you, what happened to make Ron run away?"

The fact that her mother was begging her was a huge shock to Ginny. She'd fully expected her mum to start screaming and threatening her to get her to talk. A surge of guilt and sadness filled Ginny. She knew now she had no choice other than to tell her mother everything.

"Ron made some… bad choices, Mum," Ginny began nervously. "He started listening to people he shouldn't have."

"What do you mean? Who was he listening to?" Molly asked insistently.

"It appears last summer he wasn't spending all his time at Longbottom Manor," Ginny explained. "He also paid several visits to Malfoy Manor, too."

"The Malfoys? No, I don't believe it! Ron would never have anything to do with those foul people," Molly said indignantly.

"It appears Draco Malfoy approached Ron sometime after the end of the Triwizard Tournament and pretended to be sympathetic to him. Draco then started spewing a load of lies about Harry and I'm afraid Ron was in just the frame of mind to take them at face value. Draco then told him that he had a plan to discredit Harry and Ron saw this as his chance for revenge," Ginny said.

"Revenge? Why did he feel the need for revenge? Just how bad did things get between Ron and Harry?" Molly asked.

"Pretty bad, and me starting to date Harry only made things worse. Ron was convinced Harry was a liar and a cheat and he was determined to show him up. He'd already tried to use his Prefects badge to throw his weight around, but that got him nowhere," Ginny continued, pausing to note the look of guilt on her mother's face when she'd mention Ron's Prefect status. "Anyway, I think Ron was just getting angrier and angrier. From his perspective, Harry had gotten everything he wanted: nice new clothes, a big, fancy house to live in, me, of course. Ron was getting more frustrated and when Draco said he had information that would make Harry a public laughing stock, Ron jumped at the chance to help."

"What information? Why on earth would Ron believe anything that dreadful boy says?" Molly asked in an agitated voice.

"He wasn't thinking straight. He was letting his anger and jealousy rule his head," Ginny noted sadly. "Needless to say, this supposed scandalous information was complete tripe. Draco claimed that James Potter wasn't Harry's real father and that Lily was a tramp who slept around."

"But Harry's the spitting image of his father," Molly objected. "I only met James a couple of times, but he could have used Harry's face as a mirror. Besides, Harry's birth records would have been checked when he entered Hogwarts."

"I did say Ron wasn't thinking straight, didn't I?" Ginny pointed out. "Malfoy produced a fake birth certificate, and convinced Ron that all they needed before they went public was a sample of Harry's blood so they could prove his parentage."

"Ron tried to take some of Harry's blood? But why would Malfoy want it?" Molly gasped in horror.

"You remember that Harry was kidnapped by that ex-Death Eater at the end of the tournament who tried to enact some ritual to resurrect You-Know-How? Well, we think it was for something similar," Ginny explained, skirting around the truth. "Luckily, Neville got wind of Ron's misguided plans and wanted no part in it. He tipped us off and we managed to ambush Ron just as he was about to hex Harry while he was in the shower. Ron can't keep a secret to save his life, and he soon admitted what he was trying to do. Naturally, we pointed out what a pile of crap everything Draco had told him was, and he realised how close he'd come to doing the Death Eaters' work for them. Ron realised what a fool he'd been and he was devastated."

Molly sat back in her chair and let out a choked sob.

"I never dreamed things could be this bad," she moaned. "Why didn't you tell me all this sooner?"

"It hardly casts Ron in a good light, does it?" she pointed out.

"But why didn't you report this to a teacher as soon as it happened?" Molly demanded.

"We couldn't decide what to do about it," Ginny admitted. "I was furious at Ron and said some very nasty things to him. I think Harry just felt sorry for him. In the end, we decided to wait until we got home so we could talk it through with you and Sirius. Of course, we weren't expecting Ron to run away beforehand."

Molly sighed and took a sip of her stewing tea. It was some time before she spoke again.

"I suppose I can understand what you did," she admitted. "It's always better to keep this sort of thing in the family, isn't it? But now I understand why Ron ran away. He would have been distraught at finding out he'd been tricked like that. Oh my, what are we going to do now?"

"If it's any consolation, Harry seems to think that Ron will be able to look after himself wherever he's gone," Ginny ventured.

"I hope he's right," Molly sighed. "Well, I'm no closer to finding Ron, but at least I know what all this is about."

"Yeah, I'm sorry I didn't tell you earlier, Mum, but I just didn't know how you'd take it," Ginny said apologetically.

"I'm not the ogre you think I am, Ginny," Molly said disapprovingly. "You should talk to me about these things. I've always been sympathetic in the past, haven't I?"

"Sorry," Ginny murmured contritely.

"Well, I don't suppose knowing any earlier would have helped much," Molly admitted. "Your father and I aren't exactly blameless in all this. We really thought that Albus's idea about giving Ron more responsibility would help, but what we really should have been doing is slapping some sense into him. I should have realised that when Fred and George start acting serious about something, then things are going to be pretty bad."

"Professor Dumbledore isn't always right, Mum," Ginny said firmly. "In fact, he seems to be making more and more mistakes in recent years."

"You sound like Sirius," Molly noted with a smile. "Although I dare say there is an element of truth in what you say. There was a time when I would have followed Albus to the ends of the earth, but lately I'm starting to think that he needs to take things a bit easier. Maybe pass on some of his responsibilities to others."

"I think you're right," Ginny nodded. "Can I go now? Harry is never very long in the bath and we said we'd do some studying after lunch."

"Actually, there is one thing I would like to talk about while we're alone," Molly said in a strangely neutral voice.

"What's that?" Ginny asked, wondering why she was suddenly so nervous.

"When did you and Harry start sleeping together?" Molly asked evenly.

"I… what? I mean, we never…" Ginny stuttered in horror.

"Ginny, I am your mother. Please do not lie to me," Molly said wearily.

Ginny instantly deflated. Her mother knew and there was no point trying to deny it.

"Since last October," she admitted despondently.

"That long? Well, I'm sure I don't need to tell you how disappointed I am in you, Ginny. You're far too young to be doing things like that. I had hoped I could trust you and Harry together, but I see my hopes were misplaced," Molly said frostily.

"What age were you when you lost your virginity?" Ginny challenged.

"Don't be so disrespectful!" Molly shouted, her temper finally coming to the surface. "My circumstances don't come into it! The point is I trusted you to behave yourself and you've let me down. Really, Ginny, if this gets out, what sort of reputation do you think you'll get?"

"It doesn't matter, Mum, because I know what Harry thinks about me and he's the only one that matters," she retorted hotly. "Harry and I are going to be together forever, so everyone else can sod off as far as I'm concerned."

"How can you possibly know that?" Molly challenged. "You're not even fifteen yet, Ginny. How could you possibly know the two of you will always be together? Some other boy could turn your head at any time."

"No, Mum," Ginny said passionately. "Harry is it for me. I'm never going to find a better match and I know he feels the same way. We're just… right together. Please don't ask me to explain."

Molly's eyes narrowed as she looked at her daughter.

"How can you be so sure?" she asked suspiciously. "Ginny, when you look at other witches and wizards, do see anything unusual about them?"

"What do you mean?" she questioned, surprised that her mother had asked the question.

"You know exactly what I mean. You can read magical auras, can't you?" Molly exclaimed, pride in her voice.

"Yes, I can. How did you know?" Ginny asked in amazement.

"Aura reading is a talent that Prewett women have had for generations," her mother explained.

"But why have you never told me about this? I thought it was just something I could do! I had no idea half of your family could do it, too" Ginny said exasperation.

"Not every Prewett witch has the talent. It often skips generations. Normally, it starts manifesting itself in the teenage years, and as you showed no signs of having any skills in that area, I assumed that was what had happened to you," Molly explained.

"I've been able to read auras since I was ten," Ginny told her. "When I first set eyes on Harry on the platform at King's Cross I knew we were compatible."

"That early? My word, but you always were precocious," Molly smiled. "But why did you give no indication of your talent? Prewett witches have acted as matchmakers for hundreds of years, but I've never once heard you say anything to suggest you had a flair for that sort of thing. Why, by the time I'd left Hogwarts I'd paired up dozens of couples, myself included."

"I never felt the need to get involved in other peoples' lives," Ginny shrugged. "If any of my friends asked my opinion on someone, I'd always answer them honestly, but I didn't go out of my way to pair people up. Wouldn't that be a bit… intrusive?"

"I suppose it depends on your point of view," Molly disagreed. "Most people would want to know who their perfect partner was, or at least if the relationship they were in was doomed. If a friend of yours married someone you knew was wrong for them, and five years down the line they ended up not getting on with their partner, don't you think they would be unhappy you didn't warn them?"

"In my experience most people won't listen if you do try and warn them," Ginny noted. "They're normally so happy to be with someone that they get angry if you tell them that person is wrong for them."

"That can definitely happen sometimes," Molly agreed. "You just have to be careful how you break the news to them. Anyway, if you want another piece of advice, I wouldn't mention any of this to Harry."

"What? Why? You must see that we're right for each other," Ginny protested.

"Oh, I do, my love, I do. In fact, I thought that at roughly the same time you did. No, I'm not discouraging you to be with him. Heavens, why do you think I'm so calm about you sleeping with him? Trust me, if it had been any other boy you wouldn't have seen daylight until you came of age!" Molly huffed. "No, I'm simply suggesting you don't tell him about how matched your auras are. Some boys get a bit… resentful if you suggest that they should be with one specific witch for the rest of their lives. Even if they might have thought it themselves, the male of the species can be rather stubborn and hate being forced to do things, even if it's what they secretly want anyway."

"Harry already knows, Mum," Ginny said happily. "It took him quite a while to get use to the idea, but he's committed to our relationship as much as I am now."

"Really? My word, but I suppose Harry has always been rather mature for his years. Everything the poor lad has had to go through has forced him to grow-up quickly, I suppose," Molly said sadly. "Even so, Ginny, please don't take this as an open invitation for the two of you to do whatever you want. I expect decent standards of behaviour from the pair of you. You have been taking precautions, haven't you?"

"Yes, Mum. I've been taking the Potion and I know the Morning-After Charm as a backup," she replied in embarrassment. A thought then occurred to her. "Mum? As you know that Harry and I are almost certainly going to be together, would you have any objections to formalising the arrangement?"

"What do you mean? Do mean a Betrothal Agreement?" Molly asked in surprise.

"Yes, Sirius was telling Harry how he nearly got entered into one once," Ginny explained. "I think something like that would be perfect for the two of us."

"I hardly see the need for it, Ginny," Molly protested. "What's the rush?"

Ginny paused. She would have to be careful exactly what she told her mother. The real reason she was so keen on the idea was that with a Betrothal Agreement in place they could legally undertake a Soul Bond Ritual without further parental agreement. It was a little known clause that Tom Riddle had discovered while researching Soul Magic. Tom had been fascinated with pure-blood etiquette and behaviour, and that's why it had stuck in her mind. But what to tell her mother?

"You know that there have been several attempts to slip Harry love potions, don't you?" she said, inspired by her run-in with Romilda Vane last term. "Harry's a rich, handsome wizard and a lot of girls have their eyes on him."

"What? The shameless hussies! They ought to be expelled for that sort of behaviour," Molly exclaimed angrily.

"Ahem, didn't you say you'd mixed up a love potion or two when you were a girl?" Ginny smirked.

"Yes, but that wasn't to net some poor, unsuspecting wizard against his will," Molly protested. "It was to put a bit of spark back into existing relationships."

"Alright, Mum," Ginny smiled, "but unfortunately there are a lot of young witches out there with looser morals than you. I know Harry's a bit worried about it; Sirius, too. In fact, I heard Sirius talking about whether he should consider betrothing Harry to protect him from that sort of thing."

"Well, it would certainly do that," Molly agreed. "Slipping a love potion to someone party to a Betrothal Agreement is a criminal offense. The person would be looking at serious gaol time. Not to mention the actual agreement would be magically binding and generally protects the participants from outside interference. Even so, Ginny, this would be a huge step. Do you really think it's necessary?"

"You know how much Sirius holds by the old ways," Ginny lied. "It would break our hearts if Sirius felt compelled to enter into such an agreement with some other Noble House."

"Oh, I don't think Sirius would do that," Molly disagreed. "At least, I don't think he would. Look, if you're really sure about this then I'll talk to you father tonight. I don't think he approves of Betrothal Agreements at all, but I know he thinks the world of Harry and is very happy the two of you are together. I'll see what he says."

"Thanks, Mum," Ginny said, leaping out of her seat and embracing her mother. From this point the agreement was a forgone conclusion. If her mother was on her side, then her dad would soon crumble.

Molly just hugged her daughter happily, obviously pleased that what she'd feared would be a difficult conversation between them had gone so well.

As her mother busied herself in the kitchen, Ginny practically bounced up the stairs to find Harry. From the sound of it he was still in the bathroom, so she decided to surprise him. Carefully, she tried the handle on the bathroom door and was pleased to find it unlocked. She slowly pushed the door open and was greeted by the sight of Harry standing with his back to her, examining his face in the bathroom mirror. He'd apparently just stepped out of the bath and had yet to put any clothes on.

"Well, that's a smashing view," she commented.

Harry jumped and spun around to face her in alarm.

"Although this view is even better," she grinned.

"Ginny! What are you doing in here? Is your mother still downstairs?" Harry asked in a panic.

"Yes, but don't worry. She's preparing dinner for tonight and nothing interrupts her when she's doing that," Ginny smirked. "Actually, I've got something important to tell you that couldn't wait."

"Really? It couldn't wait or you just wanted to spy on me in the nude?" Harry asked grinning.

"Oh, that was just an added bonus," she laughed. "No, I really have got something important to say to you."

"What?" he asked folding his arms and looking at her in amusement.

An idea occurred to her that would knock that smug grin right of his face.

"Harry, you know the Weasley's are quite a progressive, modern family who don't always hold with doing things the traditional way?" she asked carefully.

"I'm fully aware of that, thank you," he laughed.

"Good, because I'm going to flout an establish tradition right now and I want you to be prepared," Ginny told him.

"Okay, I'm intrigued now. What tradition is this?" he asked, amusement written all over his face.

"Well, I've just had a chat with Mum and I think there's a good chance that she'll agree to us being entered into a Betrothal Agreement. If we do that, then we can perform the Soul Bond with no legal repercussions, at all. Of course, it does mean that we'll have to get married shortly after we both become of age, so…"

Taking a deep breath, Ginny took a couple of steps towards him before dropping down onto one knee. She looked up at him intently.

"Harry Potter, I love you deeply. Will you do me the honour of being my husband?" she asked calmly.

Harry started to laugh, but there must have been something in her voice that caused him to stop. The grin faded from his lips and his eyes widened in surprise.

"Are… are you… serious?" he asked in amazement.

"I've never been more serious in my life," she replied, her eyes never leaving his.

Harry stared at her in wonder. He licked his lips and his jaw worked silently as he seemed to be struggling to speak. He broke their gaze for a moment before looking back down at her.

"Yes," he said simply.

Ginny leapt to her feet and flung herself at him, ignoring the fact he was still wet. She pulled his lips to hers and kissed him more passionately than she had ever done before. Somehow, they remembered to close the bathroom door before she joined Harry in a second, impromptu bath.

HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP

"Silence! The Wizengamot is now in session. Due to the sensitive nature of this trial it will be a closed session and no reporters or members of the public are permitted to attend. Madam Amelia Bones will be presiding," a stuffy voice called out.

Ginny looked up in fascination as a stern, square-jawed witch took her seat at the top of the courtroom. Arranged in a semi-circle around her were the fifty-odd members of the Wizengamot. Albus Dumbledore, she noted, had already taken his seat in a high-backed chair overlooking the court. The woman settled herself before addressing the room.

"We are here today to conduct the trial of Lucius Abraxas Malfoy, who stands accused of being a member of a banned organisation, treason against the Ministry of Magic, breaking into a restricted area and criminal damage. Additional charges will likely follow if he is convicted on the first count. In addition, it is hoped…"

"I demand that this trial be stopped!" cried a loud voice, halting Madam Bones in the middle of her announcement.

"Minister Fudge, what is the meaning of this?" Bones asked in an irritated voice. "May I remind you that you have no active part in this trial?"

Fudge had risen to his feet and was looking around the court with a self-important expression on his face.

"As Minister for Magic, I demand this trial be halted at once!" he bellowed. "Lucius Malfoy is a respected member of the magical community and was obviously being forced against his will to break into the Ministry. As he was under the effects of the Imperius Curse, he cannot be held responsible for his actions and should be released immediately."

"Minister, you forget yourself," Bones replied in a cold voice. "The whole point of this trial is to establish if Mr Malfoy was indeed under the effects of the Imperius Curse. Due process of law must be carried out to determine this and you, no matter what your status, cannot circumvent it. Now, please, sit down and let us get on."

Fudge's face crumbled and he sank back into his seat. Ginny couldn't help but smile at the expression of hopelessness that came onto his features.

"Fudgy must be getting desperate if he thought that would work," Sirius noted quietly from where he was sitting on the other side of Harry.

"Yeah, what an idiot," Harry agreed. Ginny was about to add her opinion, but Madam Bones started to speak again.

"Let it be noted that Minister Fudge attempted to halt these proceedings – illegally," Bones noted.

The court scribe, who just happened to be Percy Weasley, gleefully recorded the details. For a second, Percy looked up and caught Ginny's eye. She winked at him and he returned his attention to his notes with a small smile on his face.

Fortunately, Percy had not been implicated in the events that occurred at the Ministry several weeks ago. He had, after all, a legitimate reason for being in the building that day. Likewise, no one had thought to question the mysterious group of diplomats from the German Ministry that had been visiting the same day. They had vanished shortly after the Aurors had arrived and no one had given them a second thought.

"Now, if there are no more interruptions, we can proceed," Madam Bones declared. "Call to the witness stand Lucius Malfoy."

Malfoy was immediately dragged from the bench where he had been sitting by two Aurors. He was roughly shoved into a chair in the centre of the court room and chains instantly appeared to secure him. Another wizard stepped forward holding a small bottle in his hand and he looked expectantly up at Madam Bones.

"Administer the Veritaserum," Bones instructed him.

The two Aurors grabbed Malfoy's head and forced his mouth open. The third wizard then carefully measured three drops of the liquid from his bottle into the struggling man's mouth. After a few seconds, Malfoy ceased struggling and the Ministry wizards hastily took seats on a bench nearby.

"What is your name?" Bones asked the now calm prisoner.

"Lucius Abraxas Malfoy," he replied without hesitation.

"What is your current place of residence?" Bones asked, clearly asking some control questions first.

"Malfoy Manor, near Avebury in Wiltshire," responded instantly.

"Can you tell the court what you were doing in the main Ministry building on Saturday, the second of May, nineteen-ninety six?" she demanded.

"My Lord had instructed me that the Potter brat was going to be in the Ministry that day and I was instructed to capture him, kill any companions he had with him and, if possible, retrieve the copy of the prophecy made about him from the Department of Mysteries. As I was informed that Potter would be trying to obtain the prophecy himself, myself and eleven of my colleagues arranged to ambush him when he made the attempt. While I was successful in springing my ambush, Potter and his godfather somehow managed to set off an alarm and then escape. We pursued him, but we were ambushed in turn by a group I didn't recognise. I duelled with Potter and his little red-haired whore, but was badly injured. Under cover of the fighting, I managed to escape, but Potter noticed me leaving and came after me. He caught up with me in the Atrium and managed to trap me underneath the rubble of a statue he blasted to pieces. My Lord intervened at that point, and I was convinced that Potter was going to be killed, but somehow he managed to resist him and then cut off his head. I was quite amazed, as you can imagine."

Malfoy had delivered his speak in a calm, aristocratic voice. The effects of his words, however, were anything but calm. For a few seconds the whole of the Wizengamot was reduced to a stunned silence before the room erupted into a cacophony of confused questions and angry shouting.

"SILENCE!" Madam Bones bellowed and it said much about her forceful personality that the room did start to quieten down slightly.

"Shit!" Ginny cursed. "I really thought the line of questioning would be more specific. I hadn't counted on Malfoy mentioning the bloody prophecy."

"It's unfortunately, but not a disaster," Sirius hissed urgently. "When Harry's questioned he'll have to admit he was looking for the prophecy, but as no one knows exactly what it says it shouldn't be too much of a problem."

"Err, well, that's not exactly true," Harry said shamefaced. "Ginny and I managed to retrieve the prophecy and we listened to it as soon as we got back from school."

"What!" Sirius shouted, but fortunately there was still enough noise in the room that no one really noticed. He bit his lip and continued at a reduced volume. "Why am I only hearing about this now? Didn't either of you think that this might come up at the hearing? And more to the point, what are you hiding? Why didn't you tell me about this?"

"Sorry, Sirius," Harry said contritely. "We were actually going to tell everyone the exact wording later today when we all met up at Grimmauld Place. We didn't think it was a big deal. The prophecy basically just says what we thought it would; that I have to vanquish Voldemort."

"The big deal is that before you had plausible denial! They are bound to question you using Veritaserum now, and you won't have a choice other than to tell everyone everything! Gah! I can't believe you two could be so stupid!" Sirius moaned.

"We're sorry, Sirius, but every trial the Ministry has undertaken before were all over in a flash. We expected to basically hear Malfoy being sentenced, not properly interrogated," Ginny admitted.

"You see that woman up there doing the questioning? That's Amelia Bones, Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement! One of the few competent, un-corruptible people in the whole of the bloody Ministry. That woman is tenacious! The Wizengamot specifically appointed her to run this trial because they knew she wouldn't put up with any of Fudge's nonsense and wouldn't stop until she got right to the bottom of everything," Sirius explained in exasperation.

"We didn't know!" Ginny protested. "If we'd realised the Ministry were going to use someone decent to run this thing, we would never have listened to the bloody thing!"

"We are in deep shit," Sirius mumbled.

"ORDER! ORDER!" Bones yelled and this time managed to silence the members of the Wizengamot. She turned back to Malfoy.

"You referred to someone as 'my Lord' several times; who were you referring to?" she asked.

"Why, my Lord Voldemort, of course," Lucius replied, seeming surprised that he should even be asked such a question.

Once again the room exploded into pandemonium. It was several minutes before Madam Bones managed to gain control again.

"Voldemort was killed in October nineteen eighty-one in a failed attempt to kill Harry Potter," Bones challenged Malfoy as soon as she had established quiet. "How could he possibly have been at the Ministry just a few weeks ago?"

"I must confess, I thought he had been killed then, too," Malfoy said conversationally. "It appears that only his body was destroyed that night, and he managed to survive in spirit form. I knew nothing of this until about six months ago, when a large, fearsome-looking snake managed to enter Malfoy Manor. Imagine my surprise when the creature spoke to me and claimed to be my former master! I was, of course, sceptical until he entered my mind…"

For a second Malfoy drifted off and a look of discomfort appeared on his face, like he was recalling some particularly unpleased experience. He shook his head and continued.

"The snake, it turned out, was my Lord's familiar who he had possessed after the botched attempt last year to provide him with a human body by that idiot Pettigrew and that lunatic Crouch. If I had been entrusted with the mission I am sure Potter would be dead by now and you would have all been on your knees before my Lord."

"So, when Potter was kidnapped at the end of the Triwizard Tournament it was in a genuine attempt to bring Voldemort back?" Bones demanded.

"Quite so, but clearly Pettigrew couldn't be trusted to handle one miserable little schoolboy," Malfoy confirmed loftily.

Ginny happened to glance up at the seats arranged at the top of the court and noticed Dumbledore smiling in satisfaction at Malfoy's words. Dumbledore would, of course, be vindicated by this confession, she realised in annoyance.

"Where is Voldemort now?" Bones asked the prisoner in a grim voice.

"I really don't know," Malfoy admitted. "Potter managed to cut the head off the snake during the battle at the Ministry, so I suspect he might be gone for good this time. My Lord did admit that he was only able to possess the snake so efficiently because of his close relationship to the creature."

"What of the others that accompanied you to the Ministry? Are they Death Eaters or were they forced to take part?" Bones asked.

"They were Death Eaters, of course," Malfoy replied in amusement. "You can't force someone to take the Dark Mark, even by using the Imperius Curse. The Mark binds a wizard's magic to the service of the Dark Lord, and that cannot be done under duress. No, that story about me being under the Imperius Curse was a fabrication to allow me to escape Azkaban. I'm amazed that idiot Fudge ever believed it for a second."

Glancing over at the bench where the Ministry officials were seated, Ginny saw Cornelius Fudge slump back into his seat with a defeated look on his face. There was a man, she realised, that knew his career was all but finished.

"Are you saying that anyone bearing a Dark Mark was a willing follower of Voldemort?" Bones pressed.

"Indeed, and, in fact, had to earn the right to obtain the Mark. I myself killed three Muggles to prove I was worthy of such an honour. All marked Death Eaters would have had to perform a similar task," Malfoy said smugly.

A ripple of anger passed through the court.

"Apart from the Death Eaters caught alongside you, have any others escaped justice and are at large now?" Bones asked.

"Oh, yes. We even started inducting new recruits following my Lord's return," Malfoy admitted cheerfully.

"You will list the names of all Death Eaters, alive or dead, that you are aware of. Is that clear?" Bones snapped.

"Quite clear," Malfoy confirmed and began to recite a long list of names to the court. Ginny grinned as the name 'Severus Snape' came up.

"Oooh, Dumbledore's not going to like that," smirked Sirius.

"Yeah, that wiped the smile of the old goat's face," Harry agreed.

Eventually, Lucius ran out of names. Attention was somewhat divided in the room, however, as a couple of people he had mentioned were serving members of the Wizengamot and as soon as their names had been given out, quick witted Aurors had leapt on them immediately. There was a certain amount of shouting and the odd thrown punch, but eventually the pair were dragged down to the courtroom floor and their left arms bared. The sight of the familiar skull and snake tattoo was enough to ensure they were immediately handcuffed and led away.

"Madam Bones, the Veritaserum will be wearing off shortly," called the wizard who had administered it.

Madam Bones nodded. "I think we have enough. Lucius Abraxas Malfoy, by your own admission you have been found guilty of the crimes of which you stand accused. It is clear, however, that we have only begun to scratch the surface of your misdeeds and, as a consequence, you are to be remanded in the Ministry's cells for further interrogation. Once we are satisfied the full extent of your foul crimes are known, a date for sentencing will be announced. Take him away."

A dazed Lucius Malfoy was led from the courtroom.

"In view of the seriousness of some of the admissions made by Lucius Malfoy, I propose we press straight on," Madam Bones declared. "I therefore call Harry James Potter to take the witness stand."

Ginny looked over at her boyfriend in alarm. His jaw was tense and his eyes hard.

"Just do your best, Harry," she whispered. "You won't be able to lie, but try to just give simple answers. The Veritaserum will make you want to talk, but try not to elaborate."

Harry nodded tensely and stood up. As he began to make his way forward, he was met by the two Aurors who had escorted Malfoy into the room and led towards the chair in the centre of the room. As soon as Harry sat in the chair the chains that had previously secured Malfoy appeared from out of nowhere and wrapped themselves around his arms and legs. Sirius was on his feet in seconds.

"WHY IS MY GODSON BEING RESTRAINED LIKE THAT?" Sirius bellowed. "HE'S NOT A CRIMINAL!"

"Calm yourself, Mr Black, this is an error, I assure you," Madam Bones said hastily before angrily addressing the Aurors. "Release Mr Potter this instant! He's not the one on trial here."

"But I thought…" began one of the Aurors.

"You're not paid to think," Bones snapped. "Unless those chains are removed in the next five seconds you will be spending the rest of your career guarding the Ministry's toilets. Am I clear?"

The Aurors nearly fell over themselves in their haste to remove the chains. Once he was released, Harry glared at them while rubbing his sore wrists.

"Please accept my apologise, Mr Potter, I assure you those responsible will be reprimanded," Madam Bones said in an apologetic tone. The Aurors stared contritely at the floor.

"That's alright, Madam Bones," Harry said politely. "I was a bit worried there for a minute, though."

"I can imagine," Bones replied with a slight smile. "While I must stress that you have been accused of no crime and are merely here as a witness, the nature of the information provided by Lucius Malfoy means that I must insist that you are questioned using Veritaserum."

"I object!" Sirius yelled, rising to his feet again. "Harry is underage! You can't make a minor take Veritaserum."

"On the contrary, Mr Black, minors can be given Veritaserum if a presiding judge feels that life will be put in danger if information is withheld. I feel these circumstances fall under that description and therefore, I must insist that Mr Potter takes the potion. I would also ask that in future you restrain yourself from interrupting the court, understandable though your reason are for doing so," Bones said calmly.

Sirius retook his seat, muttering to himself grimly as he did so. Ginny tried to fight her mounting panic. What exactly would Harry be forced to reveal under the effects of the Truth Potion?

The wizard who had administered the Veritaserum to Malfoy steeped forward with a bottle in his hand. Harry looked at him warily for a second and then, with a resigned expression on his face opened his mouth. Three drops of the Truth Potion were administered before the wizard rapidly retreated.

"What is your name?" Madam Bones asked.

"Harry James Potter," was the immediate response.

For a second Bones hesitated, and Ginny was fearful she would ask Harry his address. She had no idea what would happen when someone party to a Fidelius Charm was asked to reveal where they lived under the effects of Veritaserum, but she suspected it wouldn't be good. Fortunately, Bones must have suspected there would be a problem with the question and pressed on.

"What can you tell me about the events that occurred in the main Ministry building on Saturday, the second of May, nineteen-ninety six?" she asked.

"My godfather, Sirius Black, had taken me and my girlfriend, Ginny Weasley, to the Ministry that morning to take the Apparation Test. Unfortunately, the scheduled test was put back, so Sirius took us on a tour of the Ministry instead," Harry started to explain. Ginny watched him closely and notice that he seemed to be struggling. She suspected he was trying to fight the effects of the potion.

"What happened then?" Bones pressed.

"We were aware that a trap was probably being laid to try and capture me and steal the prophecy, so we made arrangements for the main alarm to be sounded if there was any trouble and for more Aurors than normally to be on duty," Harry frowned at this point. "The Aurors were really slow to react once the alarm went off, actually. You should look into their training or something, because they really weren't much use."

"I'll bare that in mind," Bones said coolly. "How did you know an ambush was being set up for you and why didn't you inform the proper authorities?"

"Oh, Malfoy hatched a ridiculously obvious scheme where Ginny's brother was supposed to have 'accidentally' overhead him planning to steal the prophecy. I mean, how dumb does he think we are? However, as the contents of the prophecy had been withheld from me by Albus Dumbledore, we decided to spring the trap in an effort to see if we could get hold of it ourselves."

A collective gasp sounded round the courtroom and every eye turned in the direction of the Chief Warlock. Dumbledore sat impassively giving no visible signs of discomfort.

"Chief Warlock, is this true? Were you aware of a prophecy relating to Mr Potter, but refused to divulge the contents of it?" Bones asked, looking back towards Dumbledore.

"Quite true, Madam Bones," Dumbledore replied calmly. "However, I would remind you that Harry is a minor still and, as such, there is no legal requirement for him to be informed of any prophecy. I assure you I intended to make him aware of it after his seventeenth birthday."

"What about his legal guardian? You did have a requirement to inform Mr Black of this. Did you do so?" Bones pressed.

"No, I did not," Dumbledore admitted. "I must confess I quite forgot about it after Sirius took over Harry's guardianship."

"That's a lie!" Harry said loudly. "I asked Dumbledore directly about this twice last year, and both times he refused to talk about it."

"Let the court records show that the Chief Warlock is in contempt of court," Bones declared. "Professor Dumbledore, we will address this matter at a later date, but be aware I do not like being lied to. If I suspect you are anything less than truthful again I will have you arrested. Is that clear?"

"Quite clear. Please accept my apologises," Dumbledore replied, his eyes betraying his frustration.

"Now, Mr Potter, were you successful in learning the contents of this prophecy?" bones asked.

Harry's face twitched and he looked to be fighting an internal battle with himself. His mouth opened and closed several times before, in a clear voice, he called out, "Yes."

More muttering broke out amongst the courtroom.

"How did you manage to do this?" Bones asked.

"We managed to retrieve the orb intact from the Hall of Prophecy," Harry explained.

Ginny glanced at Dumbledore again and noted he had a face like thunder. If the situation wasn't so serious she would have laughed out loud.

"Can you tell us what the prophecy said?" Bones pressed.

"No!" Dumbledore shouted. "This is a matter of national security and must not…"

"Albus Dumbledore! If I hear one more word from you I will have you arrested on the spot!" Bones raged. "Mr Potter, please continue."

"_"_The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches ... Born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies ... And the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal, but he will have power the Dark Lord knows not ... And either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives ... The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord will be born as the seventh month dies..." Harry recited precisely.

There was a second of stunned silence before the courtroom again exploded with noise. Ginny looked at Sirius who was wearing a grim expression. They really hadn't counted on the whole of the Wizarding world knowing this information and she was deeply concerned what the Ministry might do.

"Silence!" Bones yelled and the court quietened down surprisingly quickly. Clearly everybody wanted to know what would happen next.

"Mr Potter, this is extremely serious," Madam Bones said sternly. "If you are indeed our only hope for defeating Voldemort, then precautions must be taken. You are in grave danger now this information has become common knowledge."

"Oh, I wouldn't worry about it," Harry said calmly.

Bones stared at him in surprise. "Not worry about it? Didn't you understand? You are the one destined to defeat the Dark Lord! If this prophecy is to be believed, you hold the very future of the wizarding community in your hands."

"Yeah, but I've already vanquished Voldemort, haven't I? So why worry?" Harry asked.

Bones stared at him in stunned silence.

"Look, Malfoy said it himself: Voldemort was only able to possess and control that snake so easily because it was his familiar, right? After I blew that thing's head off, Voldemort became a spirit again. He's just a wraith at the moment, and if I've killed his familiar, how is he going to return? Oh, he might be able to possess some small animal, maybe, but he was pretty weak even before I blasted that snake to bits. I agree with Malfoy, I think he's gone for good this time," Harry announced.

"He's right!" an elderly wizard called from one of the benches. "He's done it again! Harry Potter has saved us all!"

A second later every member of the Wizengamot was on their feet, cheering and clapping. Madam Bones desperately called for order, but she was fighting a losing battle as everyone seemed determines to show their appreciation for Harry.

Ginny looked over at her boyfriend in confusion. How had he managed to say those things under the effects of Veritaserum? He knew that was a load of bollocks; how had he gotten away with it?

As if he had become aware of her questioning gaze, Harry turned his head towards her. One of his eyelids seemed to twitch, and Ginny realised he had just winked at her. A smile came onto her face as she realised what that meant: Harry must have some resistance to Veritaserum!

Grinning happily, Ginny leaned back in her seat and watched in amusement as a bunch of old men and women cavorted about like teenagers.


	2. Chapter 2 – Conversations

**Chapter 2 – Conversations **

AN

Chapter 2 already, thanks to super-speedy Arnel and her lightning fast beta work. Thanks a million, Arnel, you're the best.

As the title of this chapter suggests, it's rather dialogue heavy. Normally, I would want a few action scenes to break things up, but as the rest of the story really pivots around this chapter that wasn't practical. You will get a bit of action in Chapter 3, however, including a rare sighting of Narcissa Malfoy's chest.

There, that will have all the male readers clamouring for me to post early, and maybe a few female ones, too…

* * *

It was a good half-an-hour before Harry, Ginny and Sirius were able to escape the pandemonium of the courtroom. Even then, they had to agree to meet with Madam Bones at a later date to discuss the ramifications of Harry's confession.

They had just managed to leave the courtroom and were heading for the lifts when a familiar voice halted them.

"Ah, Harry, I'm so glad I managed to catch you. I wonder if I might have a moment of your time."

The three of them turned to see Albus Dumbledore standing serenely behind them. Ginny was enough of a student of the man's expressions to know that his seemingly emotionless gaze really indicated he was deeply upset. She sighed, instinctively knowing that a very uncomfortable conversation lay ahead.

"We are all rather tired, Albus," Sirius stated warily.

"I really must insist," Dumbledore said evenly.

Harry shrugged his shoulder in resignation and followed the Professor back the way they had come. Dumbledore led them to a small office which Ginny assumed was reserved for him when he was acting in his role of Chief Warlock. They seated themselves and waited for Albus to begin.

"Words cannot begin to express my concern that the prophecy is now common knowledge," Dumbledore stated. "Now Voldemort knows the exact wording, he will not rest in his efforts to get to you, Harry."

"So what's new?" Harry snorted. "In case it's passed your attention, Voldemort has been doing his level best to kill me for years. We practically guessed what the prophecy was going to say before we heard it, and I doubt Tom would have thought any differently."

"Besides, Voldemort is currently not in any shape to do much of anything," Ginny ventured. "With most of his trusted Death Eaters either dead, locked-up or now having to go on the run, he's not going to get much help, either."

"But you saw how easily he managed to inhabit the body of that snake," Dumbledore objected. "He could possess anyone at any time. Danger may come from the most unexpected of sources."

"I don't think so," Ginny disagreed. "That snake was a one-off. Judging by the way it reacted after Harry cut its head off, I'm pretty certain it was a Horcrux. A greenish mist escaped from the body just after it died, and exactly the same thing happened to the diary after Harry destroyed that. I suspect the only reason Voldemort had the strength to take over the snake was because he already had part of his soul in it, anyway. That's the second time he's been blasted out of a body in a year. I'll lay money on the fact it will be a long time before he can try anything like that again. True, he managed to possess Quirrell when he was in spirit form, but that was years after his original body was destroyed. No, it will be ages before he has the strength to try anything like that again."

Dumbledore nodded and seemed to accept that line of reasoning.

"The fact that Voldemort's Horcruxes didn't become public knowledge is something of a comfort," he acknowledged. "I must express my surprise that you were able to prevent mentioning them while under the influence of Veritaserum, Harry. Indeed, you seemed able to shake of its effect completely towards the end."

"I learnt that I could resist the Imperius Curse last year, so I'm not totally surprised I could beat the Veritaserum," Harry explained. "At first, I was helpless, but I found I was soon able to stop myself saying too much, and as it weakened I was able to ignore it completely."

"It takes a strong wizard to be able to do that, Harry," Dumbledore noted approvingly.

"That's my boyfriend," Ginny said fiercely, "a strong, powerful wizard who is destined to do great things with his life, and not just be some weapon or tool for you to casually sacrifice."

Dumbledore sighed. "I suppose the chances of you actually explaining to me how you intend to deal with the Horcrux in Harry is remote now, isn't it? After all, my last bargaining chip is now gone."

"Wait a minute," Sirius interrupted. "What the hell do you mean 'the Horcrux in Harry'? And what's this about him being a sacrifice?"

"Oh, bugger," Harry muttered.

"Ah, am I to understand Sirius was unaware of the situation?" Dumbledore asked, his eyes twinkling for the first time since they had entered the office.

"Sirius, we can explain…" Ginny began.

"Explain? EXPLAIN? What the hell are you talking about? What's this crap about Harry being a Horcrux?" Sirius bellowed.

"Harry is NOT a Horcrux," Ginny insisted angrily. "Ignore this old duffer, we've told him enough times that what's in Harry's head isn't a Horcrux, but he can't seem to grasp the idea."

"So, what is in his head," Sirius asked in a dangerous tone.

"A piece of Voldemort's soul," Harry said quietly. "We think it became detached from him after he killed Mum and it latched onto me. It's why it's so painful for me to be around him and how he can get inside my mind, or at least he could until Eva taught me Occlumency."

"Dear lord, a piece of Voldemort's soul?" Sirius repeated looking appalled. "Why didn't you tell me? More to the point; how do we get it out?"

"My question exactly," Dumbledore interjected. "Miss Weasley assures me they know of a method of removing it without causing harm to young Harry, but I regret that I know of no such procedure. Horcrux or not, while that piece of soul remains inside Harry, Voldemort cannot be killed outright, so forgive me if I refer to it as such."

"You're right that it will act like a Horcrux, but it isn't one," Ginny maintained. "It might still have the effect of tying that evil bastard to this world, but the fact that the correct rituals were never performed means that we can remove it."

"But how?" Dumbledore demanded, frustration creeping into his voice.

Ginny glanced over at Harry, who just grinned at her. He was obviously enjoying seeing the old man having to beg for information for once. Still, she didn't want to anger Dumbledore too much, he was extremely powerful, after all. Maybe a subtle clue would satisfy his curiosity?

"Aren't you always saying that love is the strongest power in the universe?" Ginny asked Dumbledore. "Well, we're going to use that power."

For a second, Dumbledore looked confused. He looked at Harry and Ginny rapidly in succession, his brow creased in concentration. Then, without warning, he burst out laughing.

"Oh, my! I've been a fool, haven't I?" he gasped, howling with laughter. "All these years I've been preaching that love can overcome all things, and now, just when that knowledge is most important, I forget my own lessons. How positively idiotic of me!"

"I gather the Knut's dropped, then," Ginny asked despondently. She really hadn't meant to give that much away.

"Indeed it has, you most wonderful young lady," Dumbledore chortled, "and it is a most magnificent solution, I must say. You intend to use love as a weapon to drive Voldemort from Harry's mind. Really, I can think of no more appropriate way of fighting his evil, I really can't!"

"Wait, I don't understand," Sirius objected. "I know these two are cuckoo over each other, but how is that going to help, exactly?"

"Unless I am greatly mistaken, Harry and Ginny intend to perform an act that is the greatest expression of love and commitment that two people can ever go through. They intend to perform a Soul Bonding Ritual."

"A Soul Bonding Ritual? But nobody has done one of those for years," Sirius objected.

"Nevertheless, it is a most perfect solution to their problems," Dumbledore noted. "Voldemort's foul presence will wither and flee when confronted by the love these two share."

Sirius looked rather concerned.

"Harry, Ginny; you do both know exactly what this ritual entails, don't you? You're a bit young to be making this sort of commitment to each other," he pointed out.

"Don't worry, Sirius, I know for a fact that I'll never meet a better match for me than Harry," Ginny assured him.

"Ah! Would I be correct in assuming that the hereditary Prewett talent of aura-reading has been passed to yourself, Ginevra?" Dumbledore asked happily.

"No one likes a know-it-all, sir," Ginny growled.

"Aura-reading?" Sirius gasped. "What else have you two been keeping from me?"

"Not much else, Sirius," Harry assured him. "We have been trying to talk Molly into agreeing to a Betrothal Agreement, though. If we have that, then we'll be able to perform the ritual without any further parental permission."

"A Betrothal Agreement?" Sirius repeated in a sick voice. "I despise those things! It was because of such an agreement that I ran away from home. I would never subject you to one of those things, Harry."

"Ah, it might be a good idea if you don't mention that to my mum," Ginny admitted reluctantly. "We sort of implied that you were thinking of arranging one for Harry and she was quite keen for my name to be on it."

"Bloody hell, I swear you two will be the death of me," Sirius moaned. "Are you really sure about this?"

"I've never been so sure of anything in my life," Harry said, reaching over and taking Ginny's hand in his.

"Well, I can't say this is a total surprise," Sirius admitted. "Your father was the same, Harry. As soon as he decided Lily was the one for him, that was it. It seems all Potter men are destined to pick their partners at an early age. I've always thought it was a daft idea, myself. At least I waited until my thirties to think about getting hitched."

"Yeah, well, don't count your chickens yet. Eva might still come to her senses," Harry joked.

"Oi!" Sirius objected.

"A Betrothal Agreement would be a sensible way to proceed," Dumbledore interjected. "If there is anything I can do to help convince Molly and Arthur to go along with it, please do let me know."

"So, you're happy with this idea," Ginny said pointedly. "You no longer think that Harry has to die for Voldemort to be defeated?"

"He what?" Sirius snarled angrily.

"Calm yourself, Sirius," Dumbledore said meekly. "I am now convinced that this is the right path. I confess that I did believe Harry would need to sacrifice himself, but I assure you no one is more delighted than I to find that is not the case."

"Oh, trust me, there are plenty of people more delighted about it than you," Ginny snorted before a thought occurred to her. "This is why everything has happened the way it has, isn't it? Harry being left with his horrid relatives, you not preparing him to face Voldemort like you should have been doing, the near-death experiences he seems to have ever year: it was all part of the plan, wasn't it?"

Dumbledore sighed. "I would be lying to you if I said otherwise. You may think me a monster for doing what I did, but put yourself in my shoes for a moment. As soon as I looked at young Harry after the attack at Godric's Hollow, I knew a part of Voldemort lurked within him, and to the best of my knowledge, I knew of no way to safely remove it. As far as I was aware, Harry had to die if the Dark Lord was to be defeated. How could I possible put the safety of every witch and wizard in the country at risk for the sake of one young man? It wrenched my soul, but I genuinely believed I had no choice."

"Then you're an idiot," Ginny snapped. "You know, when I was younger everyone accused me of being obsessed by all those stupid fairy-tales about Harry Potter, but I was nothing compared to you! You really bought into all this Boy Who Lived rubbish, didn't you? To you, Harry was some gallant young hero who was ready to sacrifice his life to protect his friends and loved ones. You really wanted this to end like in some romantic story-book, didn't you? It just means that what you did was even more stupid than it first appears."

"I told you, Ginevra, that I had no idea that the Horcrux could be removed from…" Dumbledore protested angrily.

"Not that!" Ginny spat. "I mean dumping Harry at his relatives' house and then never checking up on him. Those bastards did everything in their power to make him feel worthless and unloved! You wanted Harry to be the noble hero, you're bloody lucky you didn't turn him into another Voldemort!"

"Tom Riddle turned to evil primarily because he was abandoned by his remaining family," Dumbledore argued. "If his father had agreed to take him in, Tom would have grown up to be a normal boy. That was precisely that sense of abandonment that I was trying to avoid. There was no better place for Harry than with the last remaining members of his family. Nothing is stronger than blood, Miss Weasley, and the wards around his aunt's home kept Harry safe for many years. Vernon and Petunia may not have been the guardians for Harry that I had hoped they would be, but they still took him in and looked after him."

"Looked after me?" Harry yelled. "They only tolerated me as a slave! By five years old I was cleaning the house. By eight I was cooking nearly all the family meals. By ten I was doing all the work in the garden, too. I was an unpaid skivvy, barely fed and constantly abused. There was not a day that went by that my dear 'family' did not insult or ridicule me. Dudley used to beat me up once or twice a week and Vernon thought it was hilarious. Vernon himself broke my arm once. Did he take me to hospital? No, he locked me in that tiny cupboard for days. Do you know what it's like to go four days without any food, Headmaster? I do. I know what it's like to feel constant hunger pains. I know what it's like to try to sleep in my own shit because my uncle won't let me out of my cupboard to use the toilet. I know what it's like to be made to feel like dirt."

Dumbledore stared at Harry in horror.

"Could you have blamed him if Harry had turned dark?" Ginny challenged the old man. "If he'd used his magic to defend himself and killed those bastards? The worst thing was that you did exactly the same thing to Tom Riddle. I know from the diary that Tom begged all the staff at Hogwarts, you included, not to send him back to that Muggle orphanage at the end of each term, but you did. You might not have been his Head of House, but you were the only one who'd seen what that place was like first-hand. Did you lift a finger to help Tom? No, you didn't, just like you did nothing to help Harry."

Dumbledore's mouth opened and closed several times, but no words escaped his lips.

"Come along, kids," Sirius said, putting his arms around their shoulders. "Let's go home. I think Albus here needs time to realise what a bloody mess he nearly made of everything."

The three of them left the small office without a backwards glance.

HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP

Wearily, they made their way back to Grimmauld Place. Entering the kitchen, they encountered Remus, Hermione and Tonks, enjoying a cup of tea and some light conversation.

"Oh, how did it go? Was Malfoy convicted?" Hermione asked the moment she caught sight of them.

"Guilty of the crimes he was initially charged with and additional charges are pending subject to further investigation," Sirius said, dropping into the nearest chair.

"You look about done in," Tonks noted.

"In addition to the trial, we had a rather draining conversation with Dumbledore," Sirius explained. "It appears Harry and Ginny have been keeping secrets from us."

"What?" Remus exclaimed, eyeing the two teenagers suspiciously.

"We promise we'll explain everything once we're all here," Harry assured them, "but I really could do with a cuppa and something to eat first."

"Yeah, me too," Ginny agreed before looking around. "Isn't Luna here yet? I thought she said she'd be here early."

"She's upstairs with Eva," Remus explained. "Luna was confident she had her Occlumency skills up to speed, so Eva is currently testing her. Percy called via the Floo and said he and Audrey would be here around one o'clock."

"Great, just time for lunch before everyone arrives, then," Harry noted.

Dobby was summoned and was soon busy laying out an impressive buffet lunch which everyone tucked into enthusiastically. As promised, Percy and Audrey arrived shortly before one and joined them in the kitchen. A few minutes later, Luna and Eva both emerged.

"I did it!" Luna exclaimed happily. "My mind is secure!"

"Yes, she did very well," Eva noted in a slightly bemused tone. "I must confess, I've never encountered anyone with pink mental shields decorated with flowers before, but I can't deny they are effective."

"Just because they're functional doesn't mean they have to be unattractive, does it?" Luna protested mildly.

"No, indeed, Luna, and your shields are quite the most lovely I've ever seen," Eva smirked.

"Thank you," Luna replied, sounding genuinely pleased.

"Right, if Eva and Luna don't mind eating while we talk, I think we should crack on," Sirius announced. "As some of you have already heard, Lucius Malfoy has been convicted of numerous crimes and under Veritaserum confessed to a whole host of others. Better still, he trotted out a long list of his fellow Death Eaters and admitted that you can't take the Dark Mark under duress or outside influence. He'll be bloody lucky to escape the death sentence, and his mates are being rounded up even as we speak."

"A couple of them were Wizengamot members and were arrested on the spot," Harry added happily.

"Indeed, and it did my heart good to witness it," Sirius smiled grimly. "In one fell swoop, most of Voldemort's closest supporters have been taken out of the game. Unfortunately, Malfoy didn't have the good sense to shut-up at the point."

"What do you mean?" Tonks asked.

"He blurted out about the prophecy and that we were trying to get to it before Voldemort could. More to the point, it seems that these two," Sirius said pointing at a shamefaced Harry and Ginny, "actually knew what the bloody thing said."

"You told us the prophecy had been destroyed!" Hermione protested.

"We lied," Ginny admitted calmly. "We do that quite a lot, actually."

"We always planned to tell you, we were just waiting until we were all together," Harry added hastily while glaring at his girlfriend.

"Of course, that's all a bit late now. Harry was called to the stand and administered Veritaserum. He then promptly recited the whole bloody thing to the court. Fortunately, he was able to shake off the effects eventually and was able to do a bit of damage limitation, but it was a bit late by that point," Sirius growled.

"What does the prophecy say?" Hermione demanded.

Harry dutifully repeated the whole thing word for word.

"Well, that's not much of a shock, is it? We pretty much guessed that's what it would say," Tonks pointed out.

"But what about the political implications?" Percy objected. "Now the Ministry know You-Know-Who will return and that Harry is the only one able to defeat him, they'll never leave him alone!"

"Don't worry, Harry managed to convince them that by blowing the head off that snake he'd already fulfilled the prophecy. By the time we left the courtroom, people were chanting his name and falling on their knees to worship him," Sirius grinned evilly. "I lost count of all the witches trying to throw themselves at him."

"Not that it mattered, I wasn't interested in any of them," Harry said, eyeing Ginny nervously.

"Don't worry, love, I know you would never cheat on me," Ginny replied sweetly. "Not unless you wanted a first-hand sample of my Castration Charm, anyway."

"Which brings me neatly onto the next little surprise these two lovebirds had for me," Sirius noted. "It appears that our best-buddy Voldemort loved Harry and Ginny so much he showered them with gifts. Now, most of you know that Ginny has his memories as a result of her run-in with his diary…"

"What?" Percy squealed. "His memories? What are you talking about?"

"Nice girly shriek, Percy, very macho," Ginny laughed. "I've told you I was possessed by Voldemort acting through an old diary of his, right? He was trying to suck out my life-force to enable him to return, remember? Well, when the diary was destroyed, all the life-force that Voldemort had stolen came rushing back into me. But that's not all. Because we were connected so closely when he was destroyed, all of his memories up to the point that he made the diary ended up in me, as well. I can remember everything that Voldemort did up to the age of sixteen."

"Bugger me," Audrey gasped.

"Sorry, that's Percy's job," Ginny smirked. "Before anyone asks, no, it does not make me the next Dark Lord in waiting. I'm still the same person I always was, I just have a bit more knowledge then I had before."

"Like knowing how the Horcruxes were created," Hermione added helpfully.

"Exactly," Ginny agreed, smiling at her friend. "Unfortunately, the memories only go up to the point Riddle created his first Horcrux: the diary. That's why I can't be sure exactly how many he made or what they are. I know pretty much everything about his earlier years, however."

"What colour underwear did he wear?" Luna asked.

"Why could you possibly want to know that?" Tonks asked in bewilderment.

"You can tell a lot about people by their underwear choices," Luna explained, "that's why I don't wear any. It maintains a sense of mystery about me."

"Bet it makes you popular with the boys, too," Tonks muttered.

"Focus, people!" Sirius yelled. "Merlin, I thought I was meant to be the childish one here. As I was saying, Ginny isn't the only one Voldemort left something in. Harry has a little prezzie, as well."

"What?" Hermione asked, peering at Harry suspiciously.

"A piece of his soul," Harry answered before Sirius could speak.

There was a stunned silence for a moment.

"A piece of his soul? But… surely that means you're a…" Hermione began.

"He is NOT a Horcrux," Ginny yelled. "I've told you all before; to make a Horcrux requires a complex ritual and a Binding Spell. Merlin, they'd be created every time someone was murdered, otherwise! No, the piece of soul in Harry can and will be removed without any harm coming to him."

"How?" Audrey asked.

"Ah, that's the good part!" Sirius said exultantly. "It seems it's not only Eva and I that will be getting married soon. How do you feel about having a brother-in-law, Percy?"

"What are you talking about?" Percy asked in a distinctly unfriendly voice.

"Well, it appears the only way we can get Voldemort's soul out of Harry is to introduce another piece to force it out. Specifically, a soul willing to join with his," Sirius explained, clearly enjoying himself. "To that end, his beautiful girlfriend has agreed to undertake a Soul Bonding Ritual with the lucky boy. Of course, the two of them will need to be formally betrothed first…"

"Blimey!" Tonks gaped.

"A Soul Bonding Ritual? Are you out of your minds?" Percy exclaimed vociferously. "Don't you know how dangerous those things are? If one person dies, so does the other! Besides, couples who go through with the ritual are linked for life and you're far too young to decide on something like that, Ginevra. No, I forbid this. You'll just have to find some other way to get that Horcrux out of Mr Potter."

"IT'S NOT A HORCRUX!" Ginny bellowed. "And you, you big git, have no say in my life! I know for a fact that I will never, ever find a better match for me than Harry! Besides, Mum's already decided that a betrothal is a good idea and she's agreed to talk to Dad about it. You might be part of this family again, Percy, but you're still a stupid twat who thinks he knows more than he does!"

"Ah, I quite forgot! Another little secret Ginny decided to drop on me today: she's a magical aura reader. Apparently, her and Harry's magic are in complete alignment and they are ideal partners for each other. It certainly explains why they can't keep their hands off each other," Sirius explained in a light tone.

"What? An aura reader? Just like Grandma Jill was?" Percy asked in shock.

"It's a Prewett family skill," Ginny explained. "Mum has the ability, too, although she keeps quiet about it. Now do you see why I'm so certain Harry is the one for me, apart from the simple fact that I love him?"

"And I love her," Harry added fiercely.

"But… what about the linked death thing?" Percy pointed out. "No disrespect, Harry, but you're not exactly the safest person in the world, are you? If Voldemort does return he'll be after you and therefore you'd be putting Ginny at risk, too."

"If I don't do this, Voldemort will be unbeatable," Ginny pointed out. "You'll just have to help ensure Harry's safe then, won't you?"

"Well, that's a trick, isn't it? This Bonding Ritual might dispose of the Hor… err, piece of soul in Harry, but what about the other Horcruxes? We're still no closer to finding them, are we?" Percy angrily pointed out.

"Harry, when did this piece of Voldemort's soul enter you?" Luna asked with a puzzled frown on her face.

"When he tried to kill me as a baby," Harry replied in a tight voice. "We think his soul became fractured after he killed my mum, and when the Killing Curse deflected back on him it came loose and attached itself to me."

"So, it was nineteen eighty-one when this happened, and Voldemort would have created all his Horcruxes by that point, right?" Luna continued.

"Yes, I guess that was how he managed to survive," Harry confirmed warily.

"And Ginny, you said that you obtained all of Voldemort's memories of from the piece of his soul in the diary, yes?" Luna asked.

"Yes, that's right," Ginny confirmed, excitement building in her as she started to realise what her blond friend was hinting at.

"So, logically, all of Voldemort's memories up to eighty-one will be contained in that bit of soul in Harry's head, including what his Horcruxes are and their location. We just need to get it out," Luna said triumphantly.

"Luna, that's bloody brilliant!" Ginny exclaimed.

"Wait a minute," Eva interrupted. "That's not so easy. Ginny, you obtained Voldemort's memories by a unique series of events that cannot be easily reconstructed. Also, the Soul Bonding Ritual most certainly will destroy the soul piece, so any information we wish to retrieve must be obtained before that happens. I'm an extremely gifted Legilimens, but I would not dare to try and probe the soul part myself. Voldemort was an incredibly powerful wizard and even a splinter of his soul could probably destroy me."

"Damn, it sounded such a good idea," Tonks cursed.

"Wait a minute, what if the soul part was weakened?" Ginny suggested.

"What do you mean?" Eva asked.

"I seem to recall that Riddle knew of a spell that could literally freeze a person's soul and make them vulnerable to attack. I think he was researching it, thinking it would be useful in combating people who were skilled in Occlumency, but in the end, he felt he didn't need it," Ginny explained.

"I think I've heard of the spell you refer to, but it is a very Dark Curse, indeed," Eva said frowning. "I have heard it called the Mind Rape Curse, and only the most powerful of wizards can cast it. I've never encountered its use before; are you saying you know how to cast it?"

"Well, no, I don't, but it must be documented somewhere, right?" Ginny argued.

"Do you think it will be in the library here?" Sirius asked. "There's quite a lot of Dark stuff in there."

"And who would cast this spell, Ginny?" Eva asked. "As I said, only an extremely powerful wizard can do so."

"No, it's not in the library upstairs. I've been through all the stuff on Soul Magic and Occlumency," Ginny admitted. "But I know who has the power to cast it: Harry."

"Harry?" Hermione gasped. "You want him to cast something call a Mind Rape Curse, on himself?"

"Actually, that might work," Eva said thoughtfully. "Harry certainly has the power to do so, and the spell itself is not intrinsically harmful. It would leave him completely vulnerable, however, so we would have to be very careful when and where it was cast."

"If we did it here it would be okay, wouldn't it?" Harry asked.

"I think so," Eva replied. "I have no idea how long the spell will last for, however, and during the time it was active you would be completely exposed, both physically and mentally."

"Would it be you who entered my mind to retrieve the information?" Harry asked.

Eva nodded.

"Then I have no problem with it," he replied, smiling at the woman.

"And I'd watch over you, too," Ginny added. "I'd make sure no one came near you apart from Eva and myself."

"Then I have no problem with the idea of the spell being used," Harry confirmed.

"Super, now the only problem we have is that no one has any idea how to cast the spell," Remus pointed out.

"Well… I might have an idea were you might find some information on it," Percy said reluctantly.

"Where?" Sirius asked.

"Malfoy Manor," Percy replied. "I remember Dad saying that the Manor had one of the largest collections of books on Dark Magic in Europe. Lucius had to get special dispensation from Fudge to own a lot of them. If details exist on this spell anywhere, I bet it will be there."

"Great, how do we get in there?" Sirius moaned. "I bet it's under a Fidelius Charm."

"Actually, it's not," Percy disagreed. "Remember, Lucius was a politician and a statesman. He regularly hosted balls and functions, and had a constant flow of visitors to the Manor. How do you think my father was able to raid the place?"

"Okay, no Fidelius, but I bet the place is still heavily protected, even with Lucius banged up. How do we get in?" Sirius demanded.

"Yeah, we'd need someone really skilled at taking down wards," Tonks agreed,

"What, like a curse-breaker, for instance?" Harry asked turned to grin at Ginny.

"You know, I think it's time for our little group to take on a new recruit," Ginny beamed.

HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP

"Mr Black? Sorry to have kept you waiting. It's good to see you again," the tall red-haired man said offering his hand.

"Ah, Mr Weasley, we meet again," Sirius replied, shaking the young man's hand vigorously. "Thank you for seeing me at such short notice."

"All part of the Gringotts service," Bill smiled. "Perhaps if you'd like to step into my office, we can discuss your requirements."

"Hiya, Bill," Ginny said cheerily, stepping from behind the pillar she'd been hiding behind.

"Ginny? What are you doing here?" Bill gasped.

"She's here with me, of course," Harry said, stepping into view as well. "Hi, Bill, you okay?"

"Harry? Yes, I'm good, thanks. What are you two doing here, and where's Mum?" Bill asked looking around the banking hall.

"Oh, these two are here with me," Sirius informed him. "They are quite central to the discussion I wish to have."

"Umm, okay. You'd better all come in," Bill said hesitantly, gesturing towards the open door of his office.

They all entered the small room and Ginny looked around. She'd never had the chance to visit Bill at work and was a little surprised at how pokey his office was. Still, she reasoned, as a curse-breaker he probably spent very little time here. Besides, she doubted the goblins would ever give a _human_ anything luxurious.

"So, what can I do for the… err… three of you?" Bill asked.

"We're seeking a rare book of magic that we believe is in a highly protected location. Its retrieval is likely to be extremely difficult and dangerous," Sirius explained.

"Okay," Bill said hesitantly while eyeing Ginny. "What's the name of this book? I may have heard of it."

"That's the challenge: we don't know," Sirius replied happily.

"Right, well, where is it located," Bill tried again.

"Ah, again were not exactly sure, but we think it's located in the library of a convicted Death Eater," Sirius informed him.

Bill stared at them silently for a moment before a slight smile came onto his face.

"This is a joke, isn't it? This is why Ginny and Harry are here, to watch you try and kid me, right?" he ventured.

"Nah, were deadly serious, Bill," Ginny said. "Unless we get our hands on this book, thousands could die at the hands of a resurrected Dark Lord."

"Resurrected Dark Lord? What rubbish is this? Why are you…" Bill began.

"Think who I've got sitting next to me, big brother," Ginny interrupted, tilting her head in Harry's direction. "If anyone knows about Dark Lords, it's him."

Bill stared at the three of them in total confusion. Clearly uncertain what to do next, he fell back into his standard Gringotts sales patter.

"Well, Gringotts offers a full range of Curse and Ward Breaking services, although I warn you now, we will not undertake anything illegal," he said, handing Sirius a sales brochure.

"That's the other thing," Sirius said, calmly handing the brochure back. "This would be a private job; nothing to do with Gringotts."

"What? I can't take private jobs! If Gringotts found out I'd be sacked on the spot," Bill protested.

"But you do work for the Order of the Phoenix, don't you?" Harry said innocently. "Surely the goblins would consider that private unauthorised work."

"How did you know about that?" Bill hissed. "For Merlin's sake, don't spread that around! The goblins would have a fit if they got wind of me being a member."

"It's probably best if you listen to what we have to say, then," Ginny smirked. "I mean, we'd hate it if that information got into the wrong hands."

"Ginny, are you blackmailing me?" Bill exclaimed in horror.

"Not really, I'm just trying to get your attention, actually," Ginny assured him. "You see, Bill, there's a war coming and you're on the wrong side."

"What do you mean? The Order is run by Albus Dumbledore!" Bill protested.

"Exactly! That old duffer is going to get us all killed, the rate he's going," Ginny said passionately. "He's already nearly condemned Harry to die based on false information and is making a complete balls-up of everything else."

"Ginny!" Bill exclaimed in shock. "How can you say that?"

"It's all true, Mr Weasley," Sirius confirmed. "Dumbledore is making huge mistakes and I fear for this country if our defence is left to him. Fortunately, others have realised the problem and are stepping into the breach. A new group called Harry's Heroes…"

"The name will be changing shortly," Harry interrupted.

"…are making a stand against evil and intend to vanquish Voldemort and all of his lackeys. Unfortunately, Ministerial corruption, not to mention Albus's bleeding hearts approach, is making this all very difficult. That's why we need a few good men…"

"And women," Ginny interrupted.

"…to fight the good fight. We need men like you, William! That's why we'd like to invite you to the next meeting of our group. You would need to give us an Unbreakable Vow not to disclose any information about the group, but I swear that if you don't want to join us you will be free to walk away unhindered."

"Who else is in this group?" Bill asked in a stunned voice.

"We can't tell you until you give the oath, Bill, but I will say that I'm not the only family member involved," Ginny said calmly.

"Look, are you sure about this? Dumbledore is a great man…" Bill began.

"Great man? He's a manipulative old codger who thinks he knows everything!" Ginny spat. "Didn't I already say that he was ready to offer Harry up as a sacrificial lamb based on wrong information? Not to mention he could have ended up turning Harry Dark the way he was going. Oh, and how about the fact he knew there was a bloody basilisk on the loose at Hogwarts, but did nothing about it! I'm convinced he knew I was being possessed, too, but did nothing because he knew Harry would never just leave any member of our family to die."

"What? He knew about the basilisk? I don't believe it," Bill snorted.

"Bill, it's all true, I swear," Harry said intensely. "If you want any of us to take a Magical Oath right now we will but, trust me, if we follow Dumbledore we'll be heading on the path to ruin."

For a second, Bill just looked confused. He stared at his sister intently.

"Are you sure about this, Ginny? You know I think the world of you, but can you promise me that this isn't just some crack-pot scheme drummed up by your boyfriend there," he demanded.

"Bill, I swear to you, once you hear what he have to say, you'll see things completely differently," Ginny assured him.

"Okay, I'll listen to what you have to say," Bill agreed in resignation, "but no promises beyond that, okay?"

"Actually, when you come to the meeting, why don't you bring Fleur along, as well? She'd be a great addition," Harry suggested.

"I hope you're not suggesting that just so you'll have a Veela to leer at," Ginny said warningly.

"Of course not, Fleur's far too old for me," Harry replied before smirking. "Mind you, in a few years her little sister will be hot!"

"You do know you're going to pay dearly for that comment, don't you, Mr Potter?" Ginny said in deceptively calm voice.

"Yes, sadly, I do," Harry confirmed tragically, while Bill and Sirius both sniggered.

HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP

That evening, Bill and Fleur visited Grimmauld Place and gave the required Unbreakable Vow. They were taken into the kitchen where Sirius, Eva, Harry and Ginny all explained the current situation to them. This time, nothing was withheld and soon the tall curse-breaker and his beautiful girlfriend knew everything that had been going on.

"Mon dieu!" Fleur exclaimed. "Zis is incroyable!"

"I don't know where to start," Bill said, shaking his head. "I've got a million questions, but I really don't know what to ask first."

"Well, why don't I ask a question first? Will you help us?" Ginny asked hopefully. She was desperate for her favourite brother to be on board.

Bill and Fleur exchanged a long look before they turned back to Ginny.

"I can scarcely get my head round all this, but I don't think I've got a choice, have I?" Bill admitted. "Fleur and I have already been talking about how disappointed we've been by the Order of the Phoenix. You're right about Dumbledore being too passive and, now I've heard just what a mess he's made of everything, I think it's time we changed allegiances."

"Oui, I already know 'Arry is a good person, and I'm 'appy to follow him," Fleur confirmed.

"Well, I think that perhaps you should meet the fellow members of your group," Sirius announced before calling Dobby and asking him to tell the others that they could come down.

A few minutes later, the rest of the group filed into the kitchen. Bills jaw dropped when he saw who was present.

"Percy! Bloody hell, when Ginny said that there were other Weasleys involved, I assume she meant the twins. I guess this what she meant when she said she'd been in contact with you at Christmas," Bill reasoned.

"Indeed," Percy replied with a smirk. "Audrey and I have been supplying the group with information from the Ministry for some time. You may not believe this, William, but our little sister is becoming quite the politician."

"Yeah, I'm beginning to believe it," Bill smirked before turning to address another person who had just entered. "Hi, Tonks, I guess I don't have to feel bad about being the only Order member to go behind Dumbledore's back, eh?"

"Nah, don't worry about it, Bill," Tonks replied with a grin. "Trust me, Harry and Ginny have done more to combat evil and injustice in the last year than Albus has done in the last dozen! This is where the action is, believe me."

"Cool, well, against my better judgement I think we'd better talk about trying to gain access to the Malfoy family library. That place will be a right sod to get into, you know that, don't you?" Bill pointed out.

"Sadly, it must be attempted," Sirius insisted. "The information in Harry's head is vital to ensure Voldemort never returns and we need that spell to gain access to it."

"But you do not even know it iz in ze library," Fleur objected. "It could be, ow you zay, a wild ghost chase."

"That's 'goose chase', but your point is well made," Sirius acknowledged. "Unfortunately, unless you have a better idea where we can find this spell, we have little choice."

"No, I've heard of this 'Mind Rape' spell, but as it has no direct use in curse-breaking it wouldn't be recorded in goblin records. They don't tend to worry too much about spells that only affect humans, you see," Bill apologised.

"Don't worry about it. I looked in the Ministry's records and it's not there, either," Tonks assured him. "The Unspeakables might know of it, but security around the Department of Mysteries has been beefed up a lot recently."

"I wonder why?" Harry said with a smug grin.

"They're probably worried that rotten Harry Potter bloke will break-in and smash all their pretty little glass orbs, again," Ginny smirked.

"Well, it looks like there's nothing for it but to raid Malfoy Manor," Remus declared. "Bill, how confident are you of getting into the place?"

"I'd need to survey the place first before I could say," Bill responded. "Until I perform some checks, I'll have no idea what I'm up against."

"Do we 'av any information about ze place?" Fleur asked. "If we 'ad a plan of ze grounds it would be a big 'elp."

"You're doing a grand job of teaching Fleur English, Bill" Ginny teased her brother.

"Shut it, shorty," Bill responded, glaring at his sister. "Oh, and after we're finished here, you and me are going to have a little talk about a certain proposed Betrothal Agreement, understand?"

"Whatever," Ginny replied, crossing her arms in a huff.

"Err, 'Arry? Why iz you 'ouse-elf jumping up and down like zat? Iz he wishing to use ze toilette?" Fleur asked.

"Dobby, what's wrong?" Harry asked in alarm.

"Master Harry, sirs! Dobby is knowing Malfoy Manor like that back of his hands, he is! I can be making you a map of the entire place, sirs!" Dobby exclaimed, bouncing up and down in excitement.

"I thought you couldn't divulge any of the secrets of your former masters?" Sirius asked the small elf in surprise.

"Nasty old master gave Dobby clothes, so Dobby is not bound by any oaths he previous gave," Dobby explained.

"But that's great!" Harry exclaimed. "Do you think you can make us a map of the grounds, Dobby?"

"Easily, Harry Potter, sirs!" Dobby replied happily. "Dobby can be making maps of the whole house and gardens. I can magic ups a map in no time!"

"Dobby, an estate of this size probably bases its protections on a series of ward stones, probably situated around the perimeter of the grounds. Do you have any idea where they might be?" Bill asked eagerly.

"Oh, yes! The wardsy stones gives off big magic and Dobby knows exactly where they are," he replied, nodding furiously.

"Dobby, you're wonderful!" Harry told the little elf, who immediately turned bright red with embarrassment.

"I don't believe it," Bill said shaking his head. "You just _happen_ to own a house-elf who just _happens_ to have previous worked in the one place you need to get into, and who just _happens_ to have been sacked in a manner that allows him to tell you everything! How much of a coincidence is that?"

"Karma owes me a few favours," Harry said smugly.

"Yeah, I mean, he's getting betrothed to me; how much luckier can you get?" Ginny asked.

Bill just sighed as everyone else laughed.


	3. Chapter 3 – Tonight in Flames

**Chapter 3 – Tonight in Flames**

**AN**

I have to confess, I'm rather fond of this chapter. Not only does Harry and Ginny's little group get yet another new member (and a rather important one this time) but we also get the promised raid on Malfoy Manor and the fleeting glimpse of Mrs Malfoy's chest I mentioned.

Discussion point: were the films rather kind to the villains of Harry Potter ? I mean, there's millions of Severus Snape and Draco Malfoy stories out there, but would they exist if it wasn't for Alan Rickman and Tom Felton? In the books, Snape is a mean-spirited, nasty man and Draco has virtually no redeeming qualities at all, but the films seem to humanise both of them and make them infinitely more likeable. Narcissa is a bit the same, a rather unpleasant, one dimensional character in the books, in the films she has the power to make thirteen year old fan-boys run to the nearest toilet cubical clutching a box of Kleenex.

Arnel currently seems to be trying to break some sort of speed record for beta'ing and, in fact, I think is currently in gold medal position. I bow to her wonderfulness.

* * *

Ginny couldn't remember a time when things had ever been so tense within the walls of the Burrow. The house was normally a bustling place of noise and laughter, but today near silence prevailed. Only the ticking of her mother's clock could be heard.

Her father sat across the kitchen table from her with quite the grimmest expression on his face that she had ever seen. Her mother sat next to him with a look of quiet exasperation. Ginny had heard the two of them arguing the previous night and it appeared they had yet to settle their differences.

"Perhaps we could make a start?" Sirius asked mildly from his position on her side of the table. Eva and Harry were the only other people in the room and they both looked rather apprehensive.

"This whole thing is ridiculous," Arthur snapped. "If you think I'm going to sell off my only daughter like a slab of meat you have another thing coming!"

"Arthur!" Molly hissed. "Behave! Don't be so rude to Sirius; we're all here today to discuss this matter like adults, not behave like children."

"But that's exactly it: some of us here _are _children, and I don't see why we should be discussing marrying them off at their age!" Arthur replied angrily.

"Do I even get a say in this?" Ginny asked in irritation. "You haven't once asked if I want to enter into this Betrothal Agreement, Dad."

"Ginny, you are far too young to know what you want at this stage of your life. I don't have to ask if you want to marry Harry or not; you've been dreaming about marrying the Boy Who Lived since you were about five. No offense to you, Harry," Arthur added quickly.

"With respect, Arthur, we're not talking about them getting married at the moment, merely betrothing them," Sirius pointed out.

"But for what reason?" Arthur demanded. "It seems to me this is all just a ploy to stop young witches trying to slip Harry a Love Potion. I don't see why my daughter should have to be sold into slavery just because Harry has a problem with some star-struck girls."

"Arthur, don't be ridiculous," Molly scolded him. "Haven't I told you just how compatible these two are? I tell you, Arthur, come seventeen Ginny will be marrying Harry no matter what you think. I've never seen a couple who's magic is in such complete harmony. It takes my breath away to just look at them sometimes."

"Fine! I have no problem with that. Harry is a wonderful young man that I would be proud to have as a son-in-law, but let's see if these two still feel the same way about each other when they are of age," Arthur retorted.

"And what happens if some devious young witch does manage to slip Harry a Love Potion?" Eva pointed out. "What happens if Harry finds himself unable to control himself and gets this witch pregnant? He would be honour bound to marry this gold-digger, and these two would both be devastated at missing out at the chance of spending their lives together."

"I don't even know why you're here," Arthur snapped.

"Mr Weasley! Eva is my fiancé and will shortly become my wife. As such, she will become Harry's joint guardian and therefore has every right to be included in this discussion. I would ask you to keep a civil tone when addressing her," Sirius retorted angrily.

"Yes, well… I apologise, Miss Hagen, I was rather rude," Arthur admitted awkwardly. "I just feel I'm being ganged-up on here."

"That's because you're the only one who objects to this, Dad," Ginny pointed out gently.

Arthur stared at his daughter in frustration for a moment.

"Don't you see how barbaric this type of agreement is?" he demanded. "This is exactly the sort of pure-blood rubbish that I've spent my entire life fighting against. Ginny, you've always been a strong, independent girl; why are you content to be sold off for a few Galleons like you're some object?"

"Arthur, that's totally unfair," Sirius interrupted. "Believe me, I'm as revolted by most pure-blood practices as you are, but in this case I'm convinced this is the right thing to do. Additionally, you keep saying Ginny will be sold into slavery, but you haven't even looked at the draft Betrothal Agreement yet!"

"I assure you, Mr Weasley, the document is completely fair," Eva added. "Young Harry will become a wealthy wizard in a few years' time, and the agreement splits everything into joint ownership. When they do marry, it will be a marriage of equals in every sense of the word."

"I love Ginny," Harry said angrily, "and I would never do anything to hurt her. I want her to be happy."

"Trust me, Dad, I've read the agreement and I stand to gain a lot more from it than Harry does," Ginny pointed out.

"Ginny, you're not even fifteen yet. How could you possibly understand a complex legal agreement like this," Arthur replied. "Who knows what manner of unusual clauses and restrictions could be hidden in amongst all the legal mumbo-jumbo?"

"Then have a solicitor check the agreement for you," Sirius suggested in frustration.

"You said it yourself; Harry would be a wonderful son-in-law," Molly pointed out. "Merlin knows, Arthur, no-one is more protective of our children then me, but even I think this is a good thing. Ginny and Harry are made for each other, and this agreement will ensure that they'll be together. I, for one, want what's best for my daughter, and I'm certain Harry will be a loving husband who can provide for Ginny's every need. What more could you ask for?"

"As I said, I have no objection to Harry marrying Ginny, but only when they are of age and truly know what they are getting into," Arthur declared. "Perhaps they should try dating other people just so they know what they might be missing out on?"

The howls of protest from every person present left Arthur in no doubt what everyone thought of that idea.

"It just feels too soon," Arthur moaned. "What does Albus think of all this?"

"Dumbledore? What's he got to do with anything?" Sirius snapped. "Why should his opinion enter into this?"

"Of course his views should be taken into account," Arthur barked. "He is the greatest wizard of the age and he does have a special interest in Harry, after all. Besides, he is the Headmaster of both of them. Would they even still be allowed to attend Hogwarts if they entered into this Betrothal Agreement?"

"Don't be ridiculous," Sirius replied angrily. "Half of the pupils in Slytherin House are party to similar agreements, and yes, some pupils in the other houses are, too, before you start ranting about this being something only a Slytherin would do."

"Besides, I don't give a fig what Albus thinks of this or not," Molly declared loudly.

"Molly, how can you say that?" Arthur gasped.

"Easily! Remember, Dumbledore was the man who sent poor Harry to live in misery with those dreadful Muggles, all on the pretence he would be safer there. Then he starts making disparaging remarks about Sirius's ability to raise Harry and the suitability of his home. You can see what utter rubbish those remarks were, can't you? And look at how Hogwarts is going to rack and ruin lately! Awful teachers, outdated teaching methods and highly dubious safety standards. Don't forget what happened to your daughter in her first year when Albus Dumbledore was supposedly keeping her safe," Molly snapped.

Arthur gawked at his wife in complete surprise.

"Another thing, Mr Weasley, we're pretty sure that Dumbledore knew that a basilisk was on the loose during that time, but he did nothing about it. If the school had been closed and Ginny sent home, the chances were she would never have been taken down into the chamber," Harry added.

With his jaw hanging open in shock, Arthur looked at each person seated around the table in turn, obviously hoping someone would refute Harry's words. No one did. Eventually, realising things had suddenly changed in his safe, secure world, Arthur slumped back in his chair.

"Can I also mention that Harry is an immensely strong young wizard, and as he gets older he's going to become even more powerful? He loves your daughter completely, and I doubt there is anyone alive today who would be able to protect her better than he," Sirius pointed out gently.

With a pleading expression on his face, Arthur turned to Ginny.

"Is this really what you want, little one?" he asked her.

"Yes, Dad, this really is," she confirmed.

"Then I agree in principal, although I do want an independent solicitor to look over the agreement," he confirmed sadly.

A small cheer went up from every one at the table and Ginny leaped out of her chair and hurried over to her father. She flung her arms around him and kissed his cheek.

"You know I'll always be your little girl, don't you," she asked him with tears in her eyes.

"Yes, but I guess I'll have to get use to sharing you now, won't I?" Arthur replied rather sadly.

Knowing she couldn't deny his words, Ginny just hugged her father tightly and whispered that she loved him.

HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP

"How much longer now, Bill?" Harry whispered.

"We're nearly there," the man replied. "Give us another ten minutes and we'll have overloaded the last ward stone. After that, I'll just need to create a break in the perimeter wards and we'll be in."

Ginny smiled at her brother, relived that they were so close to bringing down the wards around Malfoy Manor. They had already been crouched in the field situated next to the house for a good two hours while Bill and Fleur worked, and she was eager to get going.

"There, we've got it!" Bill declared some time later. "We've ruptured the outer wards and you should be safe to enter now. Just be careful, okay?"

"I'll be fine, big brother," Ginny told him, planting a light kiss on his temple. "Just make sure the wards don't close behind us."

Bill grunted as Ginny, Harry and Tonks all slipped through the small, iron gate situated at the back of the Malfoy property. There had been tremendous debate about who would actually enter the manor, but, in the end, as Ginny was the only one who knew exactly what they were looking for it had been decided she had to go in, which pretty much guaranteed that Harry would be accompanying her. Tonks had also been included as she was a veteran of numerous raids on former Death Eater properties, and her experience was vital. Bill and Fleur would remain on the perimeter to ensure the gap in the wards remained in place, while Sirius, Remus and Eva were hiding nearby in reserve should they be required. Percy was also working late at the Ministry and was keeping his communication mirror handy should things go badly wrong and they needed to summon Aurors.

The three person raiding party moved stealthily across the perfectly manicured lawn under cover of Harry's Invisibility Cloak. The rear gardens were extensive and it took a good five minutes to make their way past the wonderfully scented flower-beds, the fantastically-crafted topiaries and the exquisite water-garden. Ginny could only marvel at the opulence that the Malfoy's lived in, even if the gardens felt too stiff and structured to her. She much preferred the wild flowers and chaotic nature of the land around the Burrow.

They were just approaching the extensive paved patio area at the rear of the manor when a loud cry suddenly sounded from their right. Harry turned sharply and fired off a quick Silencing Charm before Ginny even had a chance to react.

"Bloody peacocks," Harry muttered. "I guess they're not here just for show."

"Yeah, they make a good alarm birds, don't they?" Tonks agreed quietly. "Good reactions, Harry. It doesn't look like anyone heard anything."

Ginny looked up at the imposing manor house and was relieved that there appeared to be no signs of movement from within it. No one seemed to have heard the bird.

"Come on, we haven't got all night," Harry said, urging them on.

They soon reached the back of the house and approached the French windows that were situated there. Tonks knelt in front of them and began casting Magical Detection Spells.

"There's just some simple Locking Charms on these," she whispered. "The Malfoys must have assumed no one would get through the wards. I'll have these doors open in a jiffy."

Sure enough, a few seconds later, there was an audible click and the door swung open. As they needed to move independently in the house, Harry shoved his cloak into a pocket in his jacket and they cast Disillusion Charms on themselves before quickly entered the building. The room they entered appeared to be an opulent drawing room filled with expensive-looking antique furniture and numerous portraits mounted on the walls. Most of the occupants of the pictures appeared to be asleep, but Ginny was glad they had decided to make themselves invisible, anyway.

They crept across the room and carefully made their way through the oak-crafted door situated on the far wall. They then found themselves in a lavish entrance hall with a grand, sweeping staircase to their right. Exactly where they wanted to be!

"Dobby's map was spot on," Tonks whispered. "There's the staircase. The Malfoy's library should be on the second floor, so let's go."

Fortunately for the three raiders, the Disillusion Charm created a slight blurring effect when moving, so they were able to keep track of each other. Cautiously, they headed up the staircase with the thick, plush carpeting masking their footfalls. They had just reached the landing and were about to mount the second set of stairs to the next level when suddenly a door opened nearby. They all instantly frozen and held their breath.

"Do you have to go so soon, darling?" a husky female voice asked. "After all, it's not like Lucius is going to discover us."

"I must, Cissy, my love," a male voice with a distinct French accent replied. "I must return home soon and I have much to do beforehand. Besides, you don't want your son to find out I'm here, do you?"

"I suppose not," the woman whom Ginny recognised as Narcissa Malfoy replied, "but I hate this charade. Lucius has had enough lovers over the years and I've never said anything. Hopefully, the Ministry will execute the bastard and we can be together forever."

The man lunged forward and pulled Narcissa into a passionate kiss, his hands roaming over her body. It was only at this point that Ginny realised that Narcissa was stark naked. The blond woman began to desperately pull at her lover's clothing and Ginny urgently averted her eyes, hoping that she wasn't about to witness Draco's mum getting shagged right in front of her.

"I… suppose I could stay… a… little longer," the man gasped and, mercifully, allowed himself to be dragged back into the room by Narcissa. The door closed and Ginny silent said a prayer to whatever deity it was that had spared her eyesight and sanity.

"Well, it looks like cousin Cissy isn't too upset that her husband is in prison," Tonks sniggered quietly.

"Do we know who that bloke was?" Ginny asked in a whisper. "That might be useful blackmail material."

"Sorry, I haven't a clue," Tonks replied. "Did you recognise him, Harry?"

"What?" Harry squeaked.

"Oh, forget him, Tonks," Ginny said in a slightly disgusted voice. "He just got to see a pair of boobies. His brain will probably be mush for at least another hour."

"Oi, I resent that," Harry muttered. "No, I didn't recognise him, but from where I was standing, I only saw the back of his head and, no, I didn't see Mrs Malfoy's boobies either, thank you very much."

"Oh, never mind, Harry. Perhaps you can convince Ginny to show you hers later," Tonks giggled.

"Can we please focus?" Harry replied in a strangled voice causing both girls to chortle. "We're in the middle of a burglary here. I think we need to concentrate on the matter in hand!"

With both Ginny and Tonks grinning madly, they followed Harry as he continued up the stairs and then took a sharp left. They then continued down the corridor until they reached the third door. Harry cast a Detection Spell on the door handle before gently opening the door.

"This is it: the library," he informed the two ladies.

"Great. You and Ginny get busy and I'll keep watch out here," Tonks instructed them.

Ginny followed Harry into the dark library and looked around her. The place was larger than she expected and must have contained hundreds, if not thousands, of books. She sighed and pulled out a bag from her pocket.

"You start on the left and I'll work from the right," Ginny told her boyfriend and immediately headed off towards the furthest shelf of books. Casting a Wand-Lighting Charm she began to scan the titles for anything useful.

Knowing time was not on their side, Ginny worked as fast and she could and dropped any book that might look useful into her bag, which had been equipped with an Undetectable Extension Charm just for the occasion. As she finished looking over the first shelf and moved onto the next, she realised with a sinking feeling that all the books she had seen so far had been fairly standard titles that you could buy in any good bookshop. She hurried scanned the titles of the next row before moving on. By the time she had finished examining the next shelf, she knew they were wasting their time here.

"Harry," she hissed. "I don't think what we're after will be here. These titles are all pretty run-of-the-mill."

"Yeah, I think you're right," Harry replied, emerging suddenly next to her. "I think they must hide all the juicy stuff somewhere else."

"But where? The only hiding place that Dobby knew of was that hidden cellar under the drawing room, but that's already been exposed. Hell, Dad's been down there, for pity's sake. I can't imagine they would still use that to hide anything important," Ginny pointed out.

"Yeah, but didn't Percy say that Malfoy got a Ministry exemption for a lot of his books? Maybe they just keep stuff that's a bit dodgy, but not actually illegal, down there?" Harry suggested.

"It's worth a look," Ginny agreed. "Let's grab Tonks and head down there."

They swiftly headed back down to the ground floor, thankfully without any unexpected interruptions this time, and quickly found the drawing room. After some searching, they found the secret trapdoor that led to a set of steep stairs which descended into darkness. Once again, Tonks remained at the entrance as a guard, while Harry and Ginny headed down the stone stairs, into the hidden cellar.

"_Lumos!" _Ginny called and immediately they were bathed in light. They found themselves in a cold, stone passageway the led to a metal-gated door at the end. They hurried forward, conscious that the night was drawing on.

"What's in there?" Harry asked as Ginny opened the gate and stepped through.

"It looks like an empty cellar," she replied in disappointment. "There's nothing here."

"Damn, I thought this would be the perfect place to hide stuff," Harry lamented. "Let's have a look around just to be sure."

"Maybe they moved all the valuable items to their vault in Gringotts," Ginny speculated. She knew full well that they wouldn't have time to search the whole house and after all the effort they had put in to get into the place, it seemed a bitter blow.

"It's possible I…" Harry started to say, but then paused. He started to gently rock backwards and forwards on the spot he had just stepped.

"What's the matter?" Ginny asked him.

"Loose paving slab," he informed her. "Putting stuff under the floor was always my favourite hiding place when I was at the Dursleys. I would have starved if I couldn't have hidden your mum's care packages under the floor of my bedroom. I wonder…"

Harry dropped to his knees and with his hand brushed the area in front of him clean. He then pulled a small knife from his pocket and inserted it into a crack between the slabs. Using the blade as leverage, he managed to prise the paving slab up and a grin of triumph instantly appeared on his face.

"There's another set of stairs under here," he explained, pulling several more slabs up. "They lead to a door."

"Brilliant, Harry!" Ginny exclaimed. "I would never have thought to look for another hidden passageway down here."

Soon, the gap had been widened sufficiently that they could head down the short set of stairs. The door was locked, but they managed to open it with a couple of simple spells. The door opened to reveal a small room filled with boxes of all shapes and sizes and, to their delight, several rows of books stacked against one wall.

Ginny hurried over to the books and quickly scanned the titles.

"This is what we were after!" she announced happily. "I don't recognise all the titles, but some of these are definitely Dark Magic. Highly dangerous Dark Magic, I should add!"

"Great! Let's grab them all and get out of here," Harry urged and began to pull the books of the shelves and drop them into his bag.

"You do that and I'll just have a quick look round to see if there's anything else useful," she told him, and started to look through the boxes littered around the room.

Most of the boxes she opened contained Dark artefacts and Cursed items that she left well alone. It was after several minutes of searching that she found something that definitely caught her attention.

"Harry, look at this," she said in delight, pulling an exquisite ruby pendant from a box and holding it against her chest for Harry to admire.

"Wow, that must be worth a fortune," Harry gasped as he peered at the pendant.

"Yeah, and there's loads more jewellery in these other boxes, too. In fact, I'd say there's a small fortunate in here," Ginny noted smugly.

A small grin came onto Harry's face. "Are you thinking of nicking it?" he asked.

"You bet! I know the Ministry is likely to seize a lot of the Malfoy's assets, but they aren't likely to know about this stuff, are they? Besides, I know we're fighting Voldemort because he's evil and all, but there's no saying that we can't beat him and get rich doing it, is there?" she reasoned.

"I'm not sure everyone will see it that way," Harry laughed. "I doubt Hermione would agree, for instance."

"Well, that's up to her," Ginny sniffed. "I say we share this stuff out amongst the group and if Hermione feels the need to donate her share to charity or something that will be her choice."

"You do know that on my inheritance I will become a fairly wealthy wizard, don't you? You remember that all that money will be jointly yours, right?" Harry pointed out.

"I do remember, but I think the important word there is 'fairly'. Just think, we could sell a few of these pieces off and we probably won't have to worry about working for the rest of our lives," she replied.

"But what would we do all day?" Harry asked. "I get bored if I have nothing to do for an afternoon, let alone for the rest of my life."

"Harry, don't you see? This would mean we could do anything we wanted! We could explore the world, we could research obscure and wonderful branches of magic, or we could form our own business if we wanted! We could literally do anything! Plus, we could have plenty of time for lazing about on some exotic beach somewhere. I seemed to recall you quite liked that idea," she teased.

"That does sound nice," he admitted.

"So, you're okay with me taking this stuff?" she asked.

"Oh, of course! We almost have to nick it, if only to keep it out of the Malfoys' hands," he grinned. "Here, I'll hold your bag open and you can load it up."

Fifteen minutes later, Harry and Ginny made their way back up the stairs to where Tonks was waiting.

"Did you find what we need?" Tonks asked eagerly.

"I think so, we certainly found the Malfoys' collection of Dark Magic reference material," Ginny confirmed.

"Great, let's get out of here," Tonks advised before starting to turn away.

"Wait! There were a lot of cursed items still down there that I'm not happy with the idea of just leaving," Harry said. "What do you say we start a fire down there as we leave? That should destroy all those objects and would also mean that no one would know if anything was missing."

"Actually, that's a really good idea," Tonks agreed.

"Hold on a tick," Harry said, before vanishing back down the steps. A few moments later he re-emerged with a wicked grin on his face.

"I think we'd better get out of here fast," he told them. "One Incendio Spell was enough to send all those boxes down there up like it was Bonfire Night."

"Then let's get a shift on," Ginny agreed and they made a rapid exit out of the house. They had nearly reached the back gate where Bill had created the hole in the wards when Ginny stopped suddenly and looked back.

"Bloody hell, Harry, how much power did you put into that Incendio Spell?" she asked.

"Why do you… bugger me!" Harry exclaimed as he glanced back over his shoulder.

A significant amount of the ground floor of Malfoy Manor was now engulfed in flames and they could just hear cries of alarm coming from the house.

"Shit! They'll be lucky if the whole place doesn't go up," Tonks exclaimed.

"Yeah, that would be a dreadful shame, wouldn't it?" Ginny smirked.

"Err, I think I may have overdone it a bit," Harry mumbled.

"I knew you were hot stuff, Harry, but this is something else," Tonks joked.

"Can we please just get out of here?" he begged.

With a malicious grin on her face, Ginny followed the other raiders back through the gate to where the others were waiting, the faint jingling noise coming from her bag making her skip with happiness.

HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP

The next day, Sirius, Harry and Ginny left Grimmauld Place early so they could make their appointment at the Ministry of Magic. Madam Bones had insisted that she meet with Harry again after Lucius Malfoy's trial, and they were now honouring that agreement.

They arrived at the Ministry in good time and entered the Atrium, where Ginny noticed they had yet to repair the Statue of Magical Brethren. Personally, she hoped they just binned the whole thing and stuck a simple, plain fountain there. She rather liked fountains.

They made their way to level two and quickly located Madam Bones's office. On stepping through the door, they encountered a stern faced secretary who instructed them to take a seat while she informed the Head of the Department that they had arrived. Mercifully, Bones didn't keep them waiting long and they were soon ushered into the woman's large but rather austere office.

"Thank you for coming," Madam Bones greeted them as soon as they took a seat. "I am rather surprised to see this young lady accompanying you. Who is this child and why is she here?"

"This _young lady_ is Miss Ginevra Weasley," Sirius replied stiffly. "She and my godson are shortly to be entered into a Betrothal Agreement, and, as such, we are involving her in all of Harry's affairs."

"Unlike some pure-blood families, I believe my wife should be my equal, not my slave," Harry added hotly. "I intend to consult her on all major decisions I make."

"Very commendable," Madam Bones replied, eyeing Ginny with interest. "Of course, Miss Weasley here was by your side when you battled Malfoy and that giant snake, wasn't she?"

"Yes, she was," Harry confirmed guardedly.

"Interesting," Bones muttered. "Very well, Miss Weasley will be included in our discussion."

"Before we start, can I ask how the interrogation of Malfoy is going? Has a sentencing date been set yet?" Harry asked.

"No, not yet," Bones admitted. "Frankly, we're obtaining so much information from him and his fellow Death Eaters that it's taking some time to investigate it all. Obviously, I can't say too much, but I will tell you that the crimes he has actually been charged with are just the tip of the iceberg. He's already looking at a life sentence; it remains to be seen if his offences will warrant an execution."

"I hope they do," Ginny snapped before she could stop herself.

"Miss Weasley has had some run-ins with Malfoy in the past," Sirius said quickly, noting Bones's raised eyebrows. "I don't know if you are aware of her history…"

"She was the young girl that was possessed and forced to open the Chamber of Secrets at Hogwarts a few years ago, wasn't she?" Bones injected.

"Ah, I should have known you'd be well informed," Sirius said, smiling appreciatively. "You are quite right, but more to the point, we have reason to believe the object used to possess her was given to her by Lucius Malfoy. You can perhaps understand her desire to see the man punished?"

"Malfoy mentioned something about some mysterious diary during interrogation. I take it this was the object used?" Bones pressed.

"Yes, it was," Ginny confirmed. "I was completely unaware it had been slipped into my pile of books by Malfoy. I just thought it was a gift from my parents. The damn thing nearly got half a dozen pupils killed, me included."

"We'll look into this matter in more detail," Bones promised, making some notes on the parchment in front of her. "I would for the moment, however, like to press on with the matter in hand, namely this blasted prophecy and Mr Potter's involvement with it. I've already had Albus Dumbledore seeking me out to assure me that it is of no significance, but I want to be certain. I find it rather suspicious that Dumbledore seems to have started to down-play its importance suddenly. Tell me, Mr Potter, how positive are you that Voldemort will not return?"

Ginny noted Harry shifting uncomfortably in his chair and she didn't blame him. This stern witch was extremely blunt and to the point, and it was becoming clear she was nobody's fool. Bones was obviously well informed and would be very hard to deceive.

"Well, I can't say for certain…" Harry replied vaguely.

"Your best guess, then," Bones said intently.

"Wait a minute," Ginny interrupted. "Just what are your intentions here? Let's imagine that Harry says that Voldemort isn't totally gone, that he might find a way to return one day, what are you going to do about it? Are you going to try and make him a ward of the Ministry, or something?"

"No, Miss Weasley, it would not be my intention to do that," Bones admitted, "although it would raise a lot of questions that I would want answering. If Mr Potter is the only person who can vanquish Voldemort and, hypothetically speaking, the Dark Lord was able to return, I would want to know that he was being adequately prepared to meet him. I'm fully aware that young Harry here is a skilled duellist and has an excellent knowledge of Defence Against the Dark Arts, but I'm not sure that would be enough."

"Did that information come from your niece?" Harry asked with a smile.

Ginny huffed. Susan Bones was a busty, strawberry-blond girl who seemed to pay Harry far too much attention during H.D.A. meetings. The girl was heading for a major Bat-Bogey Hexing if she carried on that way, Ginny decided.

"Yes, it did, and I'm sure Susan will be just devastated to hear that you are shortly to be betrothed, Mr Potter," Bones said with a small grin. "Nevertheless, you can understand my concerns about your training and education, can't you?"

"I can assure you Harry is receiving the finest education available, and I don't just mean from Hogwarts," Sirius informed her.

"Yes, I understand Mr Potter has been quite vocal about the standards at Hogwarts," Bones noted. "I must confess, I was somewhat startled when you appeared to throw your support behind Dolores Umbridge and her campaign to instigate changes at the school, but it does appear to have yielded quite a few improvements."

"Yeah, it was going well until Umbridge started torturing my friends," Harry growled. "I was shocked to find the evil woman had been doing similar things here at the Ministry for years. Why wasn't she thrown in prison years ago?"

Bones sighed. "For the simple reason that the woman was too powerful and had too many influential friends," she admitted. "I was aware that Umbridge was a cruel woman, but as no one had made a formal complaint about her, my hands were tied."

"You know, the more I learn about the Ministry, the more I distrust it," Harry said grimly. "It seems this place is just riddled with corruption and cruelty. Does anything get done around here without a bribe being paid, or someone agreeing to do someone else a favour?"

"It certainly doesn't seem like it, sometimes," Bones admitted wearily. "I'm not going to lie to you, Mr Potter, the Ministry has major problems. During the last war, Voldemort succeeded in infiltrating it pretty thoroughly, and only a fraction of his supporters were ever brought to justice. Time has permitted these… undesirables… to fortify their position in government, with everything that entails. There is certainly an undercurrent of pure-blood superiority with the walls of this building, coupled with a culture of corruption, blackening the very heart of the Ministry."

"Then why don't you do something about it? You're head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement; routing out this sort of behaviour is your job!" Ginny demanded.

"Don't you think I've tried, child?" Bones snapped. "Sadly, the current Minister has blocked most of my attempts to reform the Ministry. As it is, my department is woefully undermanned and my budget is being reduced every year. I'm afraid Minister Fudge sees the DMLE as a personal bodyguard for him, and little else."

"And if Fudge is removed from office, as looks likely at the moment? What happens then?" Sirius asked.

"That would depend entirely on his successor," Bones admitted. "I wouldn't write Cornelius off just yet, however. He is a man skilled at political survival and he has many allies within the Wizengamot."

"Well… we might be able to help in that regard," Sirius said warily while glancing at Harry and Ginny. Both the teenagers nodded at him encouragingly. Seeing their agreement, Sirius pressed onward.

"You see, Madam Bones, some information has come into our possession very recently that Minister Fudge may have appropriated substantial funds from various Ministry building projects," he explained. "Recent events made Harry and I somewhat concerned about the support we had previously given Cornelius, so we did a bit of digging into his affairs. We were able to obtain documentation that proves that within the last four years he has diverted over one hundred and fifty thousand Galleons from authorised building projects into his own purse. We would, of course, be more than happy to turn this information over to you."

"You have actual proof?" Bones exclaimed. "I've been convinced that funds were being misappropriated for ages, but I've been unable to find anything to confirm my suspicions. How did you get this information?"

"An anonymous source, I'm afraid," Sirius lied. "I regret I don't have the documents on me, but if you would like to visit my residence in Islington tonight, I'll turn all the information over to you."

Bones's eyes narrowed as she stared intently at Sirius.

"Why do I find it suspicious that this information just happened to turn up at this exact moment?" she speculated. "I'm not sure that I completely trust you, Mr Black. What are you after exactly?"

"Me? Very little," Sirius admitted. "I have money, a wonderful fiancé that I'm due to marry in just a few short weeks, and a godson that I couldn't love more if he was my own son. Personally, I'm extremely content. However, it's Harry and Ginny's future that I'm trying to ensure is bright and fruitful."

"Explain," Bones said sharply.

"This society of ours is rotten to the core," Sirius spat. "Crooks and murders are running the whole show and common, decent witches and wizards are being lied to about it through the press. I got a taste of that first-hand when I was thrown in Azkaban without even the hint of a trial. Even the supposed leaders of the light are incompetent. Albus bloody Dumbledore has sat on his bony arse while the world falls apart around him, preaching about forgiveness and redemption. Well, no more! I want a world where Harry and Ginny can live a decent, happy life without psychopathic Dark Lords, corrupt Ministers or even senile old Headmasters trying to screw them over. That's what I want!"

"A noble aim," Bones agreed, "but how do you propose to achieve that?"

"Primarily by putting the right people in the right job and ensuring that those that are intent on doing evil are punished. Umbridge is in Azkaban where she belongs and hopefully Fudge will be joining her soon, which is a promising start, but far more needs to be done. But tell me, Madam Bones, if Fudge is ousted, who do you think will be the next Minister?" Sirius asked.

"At this exact moment, I would probably guess that Rufus Scrimgeour would take the position. He's been actively seeking the job for some time and has a lot of support throughout the Ministry. I suspect that support would increase if Fudge is taken out of the picture," Bones replied thoughtfully.

"And what sort of man is this Scrimgeour?" Harry asked. "Would he make a good Minister for Magic?"

"I think he would be… adequate," Bones replied hesitantly. "Rufus is very much a political animal and likes playing the game. I'm sure he would fit in very nicely."

"Then he's not the man that we want," Sirius said decisively. "We want someone who would change the system, not play by its rules."

"Do you now?" Bones said in amusement. "So, who do you suggest instead? Yourself?"

Sirius let out a bark-like laugh while Harry and Ginny both chortled at the very idea.

"Me? Oh, Madam Bones, you must have taken leave of your senses," Sirius chuckled. "No, we were thinking of someone with the drive and integrity to turn this rotten Ministry upside down and put it to rights. Someone who has an inherent sense of decency and who won't let power go to their head. Someone like you."

"Ah, I was wondering where this was going," Bones said without much surprise. "I had a feeling this was where you were driving the conversation as soon as you started talking about bringing Fudge down. While the Minister's post is a job I would readily accept, I fear my reputation as a hard-liner would ensure I was never elected. I've never been interested in playing political games, and have never made the effort to court the allies and supporters required to secure the position. There really is no point in me running for election."

"Not even with the full backing of the Boy Who Lived?" Harry suggested. "I only had to make a few favourable comments about Fudge in the press and his approval rating increased massively. For you, I'd give my full backing and I'd be prepared to campaign for you."

"Well… that would certainly help public opinion, but that would count for little with the members of the Wizengamot who would be the ones to actually vote in the new Minister. Fudge has been spreading gold around like it was water for years and Scrimgeour comes from a pretty wealthy family, so he'll be following suit. I simply don't have the financial means to compete with that, even if I was prepared to stoop to that level," Bones objected.

"Then I will fund your campaign," Sirius declared. "Scrimgeour might be well off, but the Blacks are one of the oldest and wealthiest families in the country. If I have to grease a few palms, so be it."

"Besides, we have some pretty good intelligence gathering resources," Ginny added. "Threatening to expose any wrong-doings we might find may be a better way to approach the Wizengamot members rather than throwing gold at them."

Bones stared at them intently. "Why is this so important to you all?" she asked. "You make it seem like it's a matter of life or death. Why would you… oh, Merlin! I think I understand! All this talk about securing the future… I was right, wasn't I? Voldemort isn't gone for good, is he?"

"No, he isn't," Harry admitted. "As I hinted at during the trial, he exists in spirit form at the moment; a wretched wraith that will eventually attempt to find a new body and return to carry on with his reign of terror."

"It might be years before he returns or it might be next week," Ginny added. "Frankly, we weren't expecting him to possess that bloody snake, but our money is on it being some considerable time before he has the strength to attempt to gain human form again."

"But to attempt that he will need the help of his followers," Sirius continued. "You asked us what we wanted out of all this, well, I'll tell you. We want a Minister who will return the Aurors back to their proper strength and numbers. We want someone who will actively crack down on the former Death Eaters and ensure they are properly punished. We need someone who will help change the ridiculous pure-blood attitudes of this country and cut off any future support for Voldemort."

"It's vital Voldemort's support base is eliminated," Ginny insisted. "That means rounding up anyone with a Dark Mark, confiscating their wealth, and either executing them or locking them up in a place they can't escape from. The Dementors will always side with Voldemort and can't be relied on, so they need to go, too."

"What about Voldemort himself? How will he be dealt with?" Bones asked.

"We'll take care of that," Harry declared confidently.

Bones chewed her bottom lip thoughtfully and her eyes came to rest on Harry.

"There's more going on here then I'm comfortable with," she said eventually. "I've been watching you carefully, Mr Potter, ever since you so cleverly wrapped Fudge around your little finger after the Triwizard Tournament. You've been carefully gathering allies for the last year, I gather. I suspect this information about Fudge, for instance, came courtesy of Miss Weasley's brother and his fiancé."

"You knew who I was before I walked in the door, didn't you?" Ginny said accusingly.

"Of course, my dear girl, I'm not totally without resources, you know," Bones admitted calmly. "I'll be honest, I've taken a great interest in Mr Potter, here. You might see me as a potential means of cleaning up the Ministry, but I see him as a solution for cleaning up the whole Wizarding world, the British part of it, anyway. He has the potential to be what Dumbledore should have been: a beacon of light in a dark world. I confess, I thought to ally myself with you even before you entered this office, Mr Potter, and I'm immensely pleased to see that you have already planned for this eventuality."

"I have no interest in becoming a leader," Harry stated flatly. "My job is to get rid of Voldemort and after that I just want a quiet life."

"Some people seek greatness and others have it thrust upon them," Bones observed. "In my experience, it is generally the latter group that do the best job. As much as you might want to ignore it, people will always look up to you and seek your leadership, Mr Potter, my niece is evidence of that. But you don't have to do everything alone."

"Does this mean you'll agree to stand for Minister?" Sirius pressed.

"I want more information before I agree unequivocally, but yes, in principal. Now I know what's at stake, I feel I have no choice," she agreed.

"Welcome to the party," Sirius grinned.

HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP

Amelia Bones arrived at Grimmauld Place at around eight o'clock that evening. Dobby met her at the door and ushered her to the main dining room where Sirius, Harry and Ginny were waiting for her.

"Ah, Amelia, so delighted you could join us. Would you care for some refreshment?" Sirius asked as she entered.

"I'm fine, thank you, Mr Black," Madam Bones replied taking the seat offered to her.

"Oh, please, do call me Sirius," he insisted, offering his most seductive smile.

"Mr Black, I am sure there are many witches who find you debonair and charming. I, however, am not one of them. Let's keep this relationship on a professional footing, shall we?" Bones informed coolly.

"Oh, crash and burn!" Harry sniggered quietly.

"I was merely trying to be friendly! I meant nothing by it!" Sirius spluttered.

"Sorry, Madam Bones, he can't help himself. He's a few weeks away from being married and he still can't stop himself flirting with any woman he meets," Ginny said with a smirk.

"Although if Eva catches him doing it he'll soon change his ways," Harry added, grinning openly at his godfather.

"Bloody hell, I… look, I can assure you Madam Bones that I was merely being courteous. Indeed, my fiancé is just in the other room and you will meet her in just a moment," Sirius protested.

"I will indeed look forward to meeting your intended," Madam Bones confirmed with a faint smile. "I suspect the woman must have the patience of a saint and I always enjoy meeting virtuous people."

"Oh, she's going to fit in our group perfectly," Harry said admiringly.

"Definitely," Ginny giggled.

"Yes, well, if we could continue?" Sirius said in a disgruntled voice. Madam Bones merely winked in Harry and Ginny's direction before turning her attention back to Sirius.

"Quite. Well, I've given the matter some thought and I can confirm that I'm still prepared to consider standing for the post of Minister of Magic," Bones confirmed, turning serious. "I do, however, want to know what exactly has been going on. I've spent most of the afternoon going over all the information I have about you three and I'm starting to see a definite pattern forming. You seem to be in the habit of using Ministry officials for your own needs. Fudge was neatly convinced to change his stance regarding giving Mr Black here a fair trial, and Umbridge was manoeuvred into making sweeping reforms at Hogwarts. What exactly am I being lined up to do for you?"

"We already told you what we want," Harry replied. "We're not interested in trying to take over the country or force our views on other people, but we do want to make Wizarding Britain a better place to live."

"Voldemort will return, and by becoming Minister you could do much to weaken him and his forces so we can deal with him easily," Ginny added.

"You said it yourself, many of his supporters remain in positions of power and they are corrupting Britain," Sirius reminded her. "We need to root out the criminals and blood extremists, and replace them with fair and honest people."

"Alright, I'm in total agreement with you so far, but I still have many questions," Madam Bones replied cagily.

"And we have much to tell you," Harry confirmed, "but we'll need an Unbreakable Vow that what we say will remain secret."

"An Unbreakable Vow?" Bones repeated in surprise. "I'm not sure I like the sound of that."

"Everyone in our little group has given such a vow, and not one of them has regretted it," Ginny insisted.

"Really? And if I give this vow will I find out why a fourteen-year-old girl appears to be at the centre of all this?" Madam Bones asked pointedly.

"Oh, yes. You'll find both Harry and Ginny are full of surprises," Sirius grinned.

"Very well," Bones sighed. "I can't really fault your caution. Such security measures are a good idea and I do understand that such an undertaking offers me protection as much as it does you. I will undertake your vow."

The Unbreakable Vow was given and then Harry, Ginny and Sirius proceeded to tell Madam Bones everything, from Voldemort's Horcruxes to the recent break-in at Malfoy Manor, no detail was spared. Bones sat in impassive silence while they explained everything. Once they had finished, she looked at each of them keenly.

"Well, this information is at once both better and worse than I was expecting. These Horcruxes of Voldemort's are a complete nightmare and I only hope your proposed method of finding them works," Bones exclaimed. "I am, however, given hope by the rest of what you've told me. Quite a lot of things suddenly make sense to me and I'm gratified that you've found so many solutions to your problems."

"So, will you accept our help and stand against Scrimgeour?" Harry asked.

"Yes, I will," Bones said decisively. "Finally, we have the chance to make real, lasting changes to the Wizarding world, most of which have been long overdue."

"Superb," Sirius said smiling. "Well, on that note, I think you should meet the rest of our little group. Dobby, would you be so kind as to ask the others to join us?"

A few minutes later, the others all filed into the room. Bones noted each of them in turn with a vaguely amused expression on her face.

"So many children?" she noted with a raised eyebrow, "and one of my own Aurors, too, I note!"

Tonks flushed with embarrassment.

"Don't underestimate certain members of our group because of their age," Sirius informed her. "Everyone here brings a certain skill or talent with them. Take our youngest member here, Luna Lovegood. Not only does Luna bring a unique perspective on the world that has been a major help at times, but her father runs The Quibbler, thus giving us a means of distributing information outside of the virtually government-run Daily Prophet. She's just an example of the diversity we have represented here."

"We have everything from a curse-breaker to a Metamorphmagus, a Veela to an Animagus," Harry announced proudly.

"We've been able to keep tabs on what's happening within the Ministry and within Dumbledore's private army," Ginny added. "Most of what we've done so far has been in preparation for when we take the fight to Voldemort and his followers. Pretty soon, we're planning on moving against the evil git and taking him out forever. We'll be relying on you to ensure that his like never again have the power to cause so much damage and heartache."

Madam Bones looked at each of the group in turn with a mysterious look on her face. Eventually, she turned to face Ginny again.

"Well, we'd better start making some plans then, hadn't we?" she said with a faint grin.

Ginny's answering smile was like the sun coming up.


	4. Chapter 4 – Life and Death

**Chapter 4 – Life and Death **

**AN**

Okay, first, a couple of things that need to be said ahead of this chapter: -

1. I'm sure most of my American readers don't need to be told this, but British jelly = your jello. What you call jelly we call jam. This is very important to remember bearing in mind what happens to Eva.

2. If any of my readers choose to type the word 'Agadoo' into YouTube (by the musical halfwits known as Black Lace) they do so expressly at their own risk. The author will not be held responsible for smashed computers, people knocking themselves out in a hurry to block their ears, or profuse vomiting. You have been warned.

Right, with that out of the way, please enjoy the next chapter.

Huge thanks to Arnel for her usual wonderful beta work.

* * *

Smiling indulgently to herself, Ginny licked the fresh whipped-cream that had been liberally inserted into the centre of the swan-shaped pastry she had in her hand. Thank Merlin that she did enough exercise that she didn't really have to watch what she ate.

"How many of those have you had now?" Harry snorted in amusement beside her. "Six? Seven?"

"Bloody cheek! This is my third, I'll have you know," Ginny shot back before frowning. "Oh, actually it might be my fourth, now I think about it."

Harry sniggered and took a slip of the glass of white wine he was holding. It was somehow fitting that this being the wedding of Sirius Black, no one had seen fit to stop the youngsters drinking alcohol.

"And how many glasses of wine have you had?" Ginny challenged jokily. "At least these pastries won't get me rat-arsed in the middle of the afternoon."

"No, but they will make your arse bigger," Harry smirked before grimacing as Ginny gave him a dead arm.

"Beating him up again, Ginny? What's he done this time?" asked an amused voice from behind her. Ginny turned to see Hermione and her Ravenclaw boyfriend, Eddie Carmichael, approaching.

"Oh, the usual, Hermione," Ginny grinned. "I have to hit him occasionally just to keep him in line."

"Great, we're not even married and yet I'm already a battered husband," Harry moaned.

"I'm keeping out of this," Eddie laughed. "I don't want Hermione to start getting the same idea."

"Speaking of which, when are you going to official announce the you-know-what between the two of you?" Hermione asked quietly.

"In a few weeks, probably," Ginny confirmed. "We didn't want to steal Sirius and Eva's thunder, if you know what I mean."

"Announce what?" Eddie asked with interest.

"Never mind, Eddie," Harry told the older boy. "We wouldn't want to spoil the surprise."

"Huh, ever since I started going out with Hermione my life has been a constant surprise," Eddie smirked. "Take this wedding, for instance. If you told me six months ago that I would be attending the lavish wedding of a wrongly convicted criminal and an Occlumency teacher with a beautiful, incredibly intelligent girl on my arm, I'd have thought you mad."

Hermione blushed and looked up at her tall boyfriend affectionately. Ginny grinned happily at her friend. Hermione deserved a considerate male in her life and Carmichael certainly seemed to fit the bill. They had double-dated recently and it was clear that Hermione and Eddie worked very well together. He and Harry seemed to get on well together, too, which was a big help.

"It was a really great wedding though, wasn't it?" Harry ventured. "Eva looked absolutely great, didn't she?"

"Oh, yes! That dress she was wearing was just divine, and when they said their vows I just burst into tears! It was beautiful," Hermione gushed in a very un-Hermione like way.

"I'm just glad the Bridesmaid dress she picked was half-decent," Ginny noted, looking down at the elegant pale-gold dress she wore. She had been worried that it would clash with her hair, but the circlet of white roses she wore seemed to make the whole thing work.

"More than half-decent," Harry noted. "You look fabulous, Ginny. I was having trouble following the ceremony because I couldn't keep my eyes off you."

Ginny turned to Hermione with a wink. "We're definitely getting them well trained, aren't we?"

"We are," Hermione laughed. "We might just have to reward them for their excellent behaviour, too."

Eddie slipped his arm around Hermione's shoulders and began to guide her away. "Excuse us, you two, but I think that's our cue to find a nice, quiet spot in the trees over there," he announced, indicating a small wooded area just beyond the marquee. Hermione looked shocked for a second, but made no effort to stop her boyfriend dragging her away.

"Damn, I was going to suggest we nab that spot," Harry joked.

Ginny turned to look at him. Although Remus had been Sirius's best man, they had agreed the three of them should dress in an identical manner. This meant Harry was wearing stylish black robes, over a crisp white shirt and tight, white linen trousers, with a gold coloured waistcoat. He was, in Ginny's entirely bias opinion, looking scrumptious.

"Well, this wedding is being held in the grounds of a hotel, and we do have rooms here, and I doubt anyone would miss us for an hour or so…" she teased, letting her fingers brush against his cheek. His eyes lit up and he hurried put his glass of wine down on the nearest table.

"That, my love, sounds like a bloody wonderful…" Harry began but was interrupted by a loud, heavily accented voice.

"Ah, so here is ze young voman who is taking my place as Bridesmaid," declared a tall, immaculately dressed woman as she marched up to them.

Ginny looked at the woman in confusion. She had no idea who this person was or why she seemed to think she should have been Eva's Bridesmaid.

"Are you not knowing who I am?" the woman asked indignantly. "My name is Doro Hagen and I am Eva's sister."

"Oh. OH," Ginny gasped. "I'm sorry, I didn't even know Eva had a sister."

"Not many are knowing," Doro snapped in far poorer English then her sister spoke. "It seems Eva is trying to deny I am even existing!"

"Err… well, it's a delight to meet you, Miss Hagen," Harry said nervously, offering his hand. "My name is Harry Potter and I'm Sirius's godson. This here is my girlfriend, Ginny Weasley, who…"

"Who has stolen my rightful place at my sister's side," Doro snapped. "Look at you! A mere slip of a girl! How did you vorm your way into her affections? No doubt as you were paying for her teaching services, Eva felt obliged to ask you. Typical! Some rich, papered little girl wants to play dress-up, so Eva's actual family have to suffer."

"Now wait a minute!" Ginny began hotly. Pampered little rich girl, indeed!

"Vat is the matter, little princess? Not use to someone telling you ze truth?" Doro taunted.

Ginny's hand began to reach for her wand which was tucked in the sleeve of her dress. Before she could act, however, Harry leapt in.

"How dare you!" Harry protested angrily, gaining the attention of most of the people in the marquee. "Eva asked Ginny to be her Bridesmaid because they care so much for each other. I bet she didn't ask you because you're such a rude cow!"

"Gah! You English men are all alike: disgusting pigs!" Doro screeched and pushed Harry hard in the chest. While Doro didn't have the muscular athleticism of her sister, she was still a tall, imposing woman and her shove was enough to send Harry staggering backwards into a table, which promptly collapsed under his weight.

"You bloody bitch!" Ginny yelled and threw the cream-filled pastry still in her hand as hard as she could at the German woman. Being the skilled Quidditch player that she was, her aim was true, and the pastry hit Doro squarely in the face and seemed to explode.

The whole tent went deathly silent as the tall woman reached up with a trembling hand and scraped the cream from her face. She was literally shaking with anger and, for a second, Ginny felt a wave of trepidation hit her as she nervously wondered what Eva's sister was going to do. Further events, however, were taken out of the German woman's control as Sirius, who had been sitting a few tables away with his blushing new bride, choose that moment to leap to his feet and at the top of his voice yell 'food fight!'

From out of nowhere (but probably from somewhere in Sirius's general direction) what appeared to be a strawberry tart sailed through the air and hit Doro in the side of the head with enough force to send her staggering. A second later, all manner of foods were flying in different directions as the wedding guests decided to get in on the action. Ginny gaped in surprise as most of the wedding brunch was turned into weapons and hurled at whoever happened to be in the line of sight. She stared in amazement as her mother grabbed a quiche and threw it as hard as she could in Fleur's direction. It hit the French girl on the shoulder and she immediately retaliated with what looked to be a plate of Scotch Eggs.

Ginny felt a gentle tug on her dress and she looked down to see Harry, who had crawled under a nearby table, beckoning to her. Grinning, she dropped to her knees and crawled under the table with him.

"Are you okay?" she asked him quickly. "That horrid bitch didn't hurt you, did she?"

"Nah, I'm fine," he assured her. "I just thought this might be the safest place to be for a while."

"You're right," she giggled before sliding her arms around him. "Out of sight, too. We did say we wanted a nice quiet place, didn't we?"

"We did at that," Harry replied before pulling her into a searing kiss.

They stayed under the table, blissfully snogging, while carnage reigned above them.

HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP

It was half-an-hour later before things began to settle down again, mostly through the efforts of the hotel staff who had been valiantly trying to stop their guests lobbing food at each other. Once the mayhem had died down, Harry and Ginny reluctantly crawled from out of their hiding place, and hastily adjusted their clothing. Looking around, Ginny was amazed at the sheer level of anarchy that seemed to have been descended onto the marquee, although everyone appeared to be remarkably happy. Not surprisingly, Fred and George appeared to have had the time of their lives, although their cake-covered dates, Alicia and Angelina, appeared less happy. Quite the strangest scene, to Ginny's eyes, was the sight of her mother and Fleur, both covered in head-to-foot in food, hugging each other while laughing uproariously, while Bill looked on in bemusement.

"Ah, there you two are… why are you so clean?" a voice called out.

Harry and Ginny turned to see what at first appeared to be some sort of trifle-covered monster, but on closer inspection turned out to be Sirius. Beside him was his bride who, while much cleaner, appeared to be in some distress.

"We sensibly hid under the table," Harry informed his godfather. "Blimey, what happened to you? You look like you've bathed in that stuff!"

"You hid? Oh, the shame! Here was me, valiantly wading into the heat of battle to defend my fair maiden, and my own godson hid like a coward. Oh, I may never recover from this indignity!" Sirius wailed unconvincingly.

"We didn't say what we were doing under the table, did we?" Ginny pointed out in amusement.

"Oh, well, that's different, then," Sirius beamed. "Bonus points for getting frisky with your mother only a few feet away, my brave girl."

"It seemed like a good idea," Ginny smirked. "Eva, what's the matter? You're hopping about like you've got ants in your pants."

"Someone threw a jelly at me and most of it managed to work its way down the front of my dress," Eva moaned, clutching at the front of her modestly low-cut wedding dress. "It's cold and wriggly!"

"I'll retrieve it!" Sirius declared enthusiastically reaching out an eager hand, which was instantly slapped away by Eva.

"Oh, no you don't," Eva declared. "You know the rules: no privileges until tonight! I know you, Sirius Black, if you get any nookie now, you won't feel the need to stay sober for the rest of the evening! I refuse to spend my wedding night frustrated while you slip into a drunken coma!"

"I was only trying to help," Sirius protested. "Besides, I strongly object to the idea that young Harry here is indulging in rumpy-pumpy while I am forced to abstain!"

"Perhaps you should have spent more time with your lovely bride and less throwing cake about then, shouldn't you?" Harry grinned evilly.

"It was all in a good cause," Sirius winked.

"Oh, Ginny, I am so sorry my horrid sister said those things to you," Eva apologised. "I really shouldn't have invited her, but she's the only close family I have left."

"Don't worry about it," Ginny replied with a shrug. "Merlin, I know better than anyone that you can't choose your family. But can I ask, why didn't you pick your sister to be Bridesmaid?"

"Doro and I have never got on," Eva sighed. "We lost our parents when we were very young and were taken into care. You would have thought that such an experience would bring us closer together, but Doro always felt the need to be in control, even though she is only a year older than me. She's insufferable when she doesn't get her own way and we haven't really spoken in about four years. Part of the reason I moved to England was to get away from her."

"Where did she go, anyway?" Harry asked looking around warily.

"Oh, she left shortly after I hit her square on with a strawberry tart," Sirius sniggered.

"For which, my love, you will be especially rewarded tonight," Eva laughed, stroking his cheek fondly. "But for now, I rather think we'd better get you cleaned up."

Magic can be a very convenient thing to have at your disposal and, after numerous cleaning and repairing spells, the marquee was soon returned to its former glory, as were most of the guests. After everyone had returned to their seats, it was time for the speeches. As Eva's father had died many years before, they moved straight onto Sirius who raised a toast to Ginny in her role as Bridesmaid. She blushed as one of the hotel staff presented her with a huge bouquet of roses as the rest of the guests enthusiastically applauded her.

Next, it was the best man's speech, something Remus had been relishing for some time. The werewolf stood with an evil smirk on his face while Sirius looked apprehensive.

"Ladies and gentlemen, witches and wizards, honoured guests, it is traditional at this point for the best man to recount a few stories for the express purpose of embarrassing the groom. Having known Sirius since we were both eleven years old, I can say that I have a few juicy tales to tell," Remus grinned. "In fact, I have so many embarrassing stories about him that I had to write them all down."

There was laughter as Remus produced a roll of parchment from his robes. With a dramatic flourish, he let the parchment unroll. It unfurled until it hit the table, rolled off the end and continued to unwind until it hit the floor where it rolled along until it was revealed to be around four yards long.

"This is volume one," Remus declared as the guests howled with laughter.

The next forty minutes proved to be a very long one for Sirius, as Remus described dozens of incidents and disasters that occurred to him over the years. From pranks that backfired to well-deserved punishments handed out by irate teachers, Sirius wasn't spared in the slightest. Ginny decided her favourite story was the one relating to Sirius's first ever serious date which had been with a fellow Gryffindor named Samantha Feathershaw. The date had apparently lasted twenty-three minutes before the angry girl, who had taken offense at a rather blue comment made by Sirius, had kneed him in the groin and stomped off. Remus had expressed his hope that this was a method of chastising Sirius that Eva would use in future.

To be fair to Sirius, the man could take it as well as dish it out, and at the end of Remus's speech he had stood and hugged his friend warmly.

"Just wait until your wedding, mate," he had declared loudly as they all sat down again. Remus did look a little worried by that idea, Ginny noted.

Lastly, Eva stood and looked a little nervously around the room.

"When I came to this country ten years ago," she began, "I was simply trying to build a new life for myself. I had little family and I was struggling to find work in my native land, so, as I spoke English reasonably well, I thought I'd try my luck here. It has not always been easy, but I managed to carve out a decent living for myself. I was, however, very lonely."

There was a murmur of sympathy around the marquee.

"Then, last summer, I got a letter asking me to teach two children my craft. There was nothing unusual in that, it is my job, after all, but when I discovered who I would be teaching I was shocked, but rather pleased. I must confess that I thought that teaching the famous Boy Who Lived would be a lucrative pay-day for me, and nothing else. That thought changed, however, when I met my employer, a rather handsome fellow by the name of Sirius Black."

There were quite a few catcalls at this point and several suggestions that Eva might need glasses.

"Sirius was everything that I dreamt of in a man," she continued, just smirking at the heckling. "He was tall, handsome, funny and I suppose I should mention quite rich, too! There was only one problem; he seemed to be terrified of me."

"I still am," Sirius yelled.

"I was devastated," Eva said, pausing only to cuff her new husband lightly round the head. "Here was my ideal man, and he could barely speak a coherent sentence to me without stuttering and apparently wanting to run out of the room."

"I know that feeling," Ginny whispered to Harry. He just smiled and squeezed her hand.

"In my desperation, I did something foolish, which I won't go into now. Unfortunately, by that point I knew I was head over heels in love with Sirius and I was terrified my actions would result in him rejecting me forever. After talking to two wonderful people, I decided to confess my crimes to him and throw myself on his mercy," she said sadly.

The room was completely quite now, eager to know what happened next.

"I must say, Sirius took my confession better than I expected, but told me he needed time to think things over. I was, of course, biting my nails to the quick waiting for him to come to a decision. Let me tell you, it took this complete git a whole week to put me out of my misery! That must have been the most depressing seven days I have ever had to go through, but in the end he came to me and said he wanted to give a relationship with me a try," Eva told them.

Everyone broke out in to spontaneous applause and Eva beamed with happiness.

"It goes without saying that we discovered very quickly that we very much enjoy each other's company and we quickly became inseparable. Even so, I was shocked to my very core when Sirius proposed to me just before Christmas. It is not often that I am at a loss for words, but I was so surprised that I nearly forgot to say yes!"

"And nearly gave me a heart attack in the process!" Sirius injected loudly.

"Oh, my poor love," Eva teased. "Nevertheless, I eventually managed to recover the power of speech and was able to confirm that marrying him was the thing I wanted more than anything else in the world. Now, I am fully aware that I am not the most attractive woman in the world…"

A storm of protest met Eva's words, the loudest coming from Sirius and Harry. Eva blushed deeply and looked to be on the verge of tears, but she just managed to get herself under control.

"You're all too kind," she told them in a wavering voice, "but I know I am no skinny beauty that would grace the cover of some glossy magazine. I do, however, swear to love this wonderful man beside me until the day I die and promise to be the best wife I can for him."

A warm round of applause greeted her words and this time Eva did burst into tears. Sirius stood and tenderly embraced her, a look of wonder on his face. Ginny looked at them affectionately and felt tears forming in her own eyes.

After a minute or two, Eva managed to get control of herself and kissed her new husband deeply, accompanied by the cheers of the guests. She then turned and addressed them all again.

"I've nearly said all I have to say, other than to thank you all for coming today. You're all wonderful! But before I sit down, there are two people I wish to thank especially. They are, of course, Harry and Ginny. Without these two, I doubt I would have had the courage to tell Sirius what I truly felt and we wouldn't all be here today. They might only be young, but they are the kindest, warmest-hearted people I know and I love them both. Thank you."

Ginny glanced over at her boyfriend as Eva sat back down to another round of loud applause. He had the happiest smile on his face that she had ever seen, and it really hit home to her how much this all meant to him. For the first time in his life, Harry had a proper, loving family and nothing was more important to him. Gently, she reached over and squeezed his hand. He looked back at her with his eyes shining. Without warning, he suddenly grabbed her and pulled her into a tight hug.

"I love you," he whispered in her ear.

"I love you, too," she told him, tears of happiness rolling down her cheeks.

"Right, that's the speeches out the way," Sirius's voice loudly intruded, "so, gentleman: to the bar. Ladies: the dance floor awaits!"

Ginny grinned at Harry. He'd said he wanted to dance with her again last Christmas and now it was time to collect. She grabbed him by the hand and virtually dragged him towards the dance floor.

HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP

The night flew by incredibly quickly, most of it spent on the dance floor, although the two teenagers did manage to sneak quite a few drinks in, too. Their efforts in this regard were greatly helped by the fact that Molly Weasley had discovered that elven wine was being served and had indulged herself. In fact, she had indulged herself into a state of near unconsciousness.

The fact that Sirius had had a hand in picking some of the music was painfully obvious as some of the selections were frankly odd. Ginny had never encountered a song that came with their own set body movements, but Sirius had assured her that 'Agadoo' was an established Muggle party classic. Strange lot those Muggles, she decided.

Much more to her taste was the slow song currently playing. Her head was comfortably resting on Harry's shoulder as they shuffled about the floor. The lights were turned low and the music was soft. She was content.

Abruptly, the music stopped and the lights suddenly flared. Ginny blinked at the unexpected brightness and wondered what was going on.

"Attention, please, everyone," Remus's voice called out. "The happy couple are about to depart for their honeymoon, and their Portkey is due to leave for Mauritius shortly. If you would all kindly make you way to the front of the marquee to see them off, please. Oh, and, ladies, I do believe Eva is ready to throw her bouquet."

"That bouquet is mine!" Ginny announced fiercely, causing Harry to laugh.

They made their way to the front of the large tent where Eva and Sirius were waiting. They had already changed into Muggle clothing and each of them had a small suitcase with them. In Eva's hand was her bouquet.

As a small crowd had already gathered around the couple, Ginny hung back slightly. She could see a number of women, Tonks and Audrey included, had pushed their way to the front, but she felt that was a mistake. Eva was a strong woman and Ginny fully expected her to launch the bouquet some distance. She remained at the rear of the crowd and hitched her dress up slightly to enable her to move quickly.

She happened to glance to her left and saw Angelina Johnson squatting down slightly as if preparing herself to launch herself forward. Angelina turned her head slightly and saw Ginny looking at her. A determined grin came onto the older girl's face which Ginny returned. Both girls knew it was going to be a straight battle between the two of them and they were well up for it.

"Okay, get ready everyone," Eva yelled, turning her back to the crowd. She threw the bouquet over her head with both hands and, as Ginny had expected, it sailed over the heads of most of the jostling women. As soon as the flowers left Eva's hand, Ginny began to move. She kept her eyes firmly on the bouquet and ignored everything around her. Judging its flight path, Ginny realised it was going over even her head, so, she bent her knees and jumped with as much force as she could. Elation filled her as her fingertips brushed the flowers and she grabbed them as hard as she could. A second later, something impacted hard against her and she fell to the floor with the wind knocked out of her.

It took a few seconds for her head to clear. She looked at her hand and was surprised to find a ripped and torn bunch of flowers. Looking up, she saw Angelina sprawled on the floor a few feet away from her, the other half of the bouquet in her hand. There were cries of dismay and laughter all round her as she felt a pair of hands gently lift her off the ground.

"Great jump, love," Harry grinned as he kissed her warmly.

"I said I was going to get it, didn't I?" she laughed, waiving the mutilated bouquet in the air.

"Bloody hell, Ginny," Angelina called as she struggled to stand. "I'm glad we're on the same Quidditch team. I would hate to have to play against you!"

"You, too!" Ginny laughed. "Nothing gets in the way of us Gryffindor girls when we have our mind set on something, does it?"

"Damn right!" Angelina agreed, coming over and giving Ginny a hug before looking over at Harry.

"Looks like you'll be getting hitched young, Harry!" Angelina joked.

"Won't that be a tragedy," Harry smirked. "Doesn't look like George is too happy with the idea, though."

They all turned and looked at George who was regarding them with a slightly sick expression on his face. Angelina waved her half of the bouquet while cocking her finger at him.

"Oh, lover-boy! I hope you've already bought that engagement ring?" she called out.

George looked ready to run screaming, while Fred and Alicia both cracked up laughing.

"Right, we're off, everyone!" Sirius called out, causing everyone to divert their attention back to him and Eva.

Cheers and shouts came from the crowd. Harry and Ginny pushed their way to the front and hurriedly embraced the couple seconds before they were to leave. A moment later, Sirius and Eva vanished from sight, as the Portkey whisked them away.

Harry slipped his arm around Ginny's shoulders and took a deep breath, a contented smile on his lips.

"Up for a bit more dancing?" Ginny asked.

"Definitely, and hopefully they'll play a few more slow songs," Harry said.

"Yeah, just as long as they don't play that bloody song about pineapples again, I'll be happy," Ginny agreed.

Laughing, they headed back into the marquee.

HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP

"Right, well, I guess as Sirius isn't here I'd better call this meeting to order," Harry declared in a non-nonsense way. Teaching the H.D.A. had really brought him out of his shell, Ginny thought happily.

"What are we called this week?" Tonks asked cheekily.

"For this week only, we shall be called the 'Shut up and listen to Harry group'," he told her in a stern voice. "Now, shut up and listen to me."

"Ooh, don't you just love it when he's all dominant like that?" Tonks said to Ginny. "It makes me come out in a hot flush, it does!"

"I know! He's just so masculine, I'm all of a flutter," Ginny smirked, fanning herself with her hand.

"I bet Voldemort doesn't have to put up with all this abuse," Harry muttered, shaking his head.

"You love it," Fleur noted with a smile. "All zeze lovely women flirting with you. Admit you love it!"

"Can we please get on?" Harry asked in a pained voice. "We have a lot to cover today."

"Perhaps I should kick things off," Percy suggested, although even he had a slight smirk on his face. "As you all know, Cornelius Fudge was stripped of his position as Minister for Magic last week and is currently being held in the Ministry holding cells pending formal charges. I understand the case against him is looking pretty damning, and due to the amount of the funds he misappropriated he's looking at a ten to fifteen year stretch in Azkaban."

"His former allies are deserting him in droves," Audrey noted, "and without Lucius Malfoy about to throw Galleons at the problem, Fudge looks like a dead duck. The Ministry has already frozen all his private accounts and are going through his books with a fine tooth comb. I'm helping with that, by the way."

"It looks like we don't have to worry about that prat anymore," Harry noted with a satisfied grin. "Speaking of Malfoy, do we know when he is being sentenced?"

"Early next week," Tonks supplied. "Due to his crimes in the first war against Voldemort, it looks almost certain he'll receive the Dementor's Kiss."

"Won't that be a shame," Ginny exclaimed.

"Ginny!" Hermione complained. "No matter what he's done, the Dementor's Kiss is an inhuman way to deal with prisoners. Executing him in that manner makes us no better than Voldemort. A life sentence would be ample punishment."

"I'm not sure locking him up in Azkaban would be any more humane," Harry pondered. "I do agree with you about the Dementor's Kiss, though. While I think Malfoy is just too much of a danger to be kept alive, I think there are a lot better ways of doing it. Personally, I think pushing him through the Veil in the Department of Mysteries is a more compassionate way of executing him."

"I don't think 'compassionate' and 'execution' are two words that belong in the same sentence," Hermione said coldly.

"Hermione, we're at war. We've already seen that Azkaban isn't as secure as we'd hoped and even if he's been stripped of his wealth, Lucius is an incredibly dangerous foe," Remus pointed out. "How would you feel if he managed to escape and killed Harry, for instance? He's just too dangerous to leave alive."

"It's not like he doesn't deserve it, either," Tonks agreed. "From what I understand, Malfoy has killed dozens of people, Muggle and Magical, alike. He's never going to change his views that the only decent people are pure-bloods and everyone else is scum; it's too deeply ingrained in him. That means he can never be trusted again."

"I understand the arguments," Hermione protested, "but just killing him in cold-blood seems barbaric! Surely if he's confined and no longer a threat to anyone, we don't have to lower ourselves to murder."

"It's not murder, it's justice," Luna said in a surprisingly hard voice. "Killing him won't bring back the people he murdered, but it will prevent him doing it again. There's no way you can guarantee Malfoy can be kept under lock and key, especially with Voldemort still out there. As long as he's alive he will be a threat and, personally, I think he gave up the right to life once he started killing people under the supposed justification of blood status."

Hermione stated at her friend in shock.

"Death is something we will all face, sooner or later," Luna continued in a softer tone. "Malfoy will be better off leaving this plane of existence and starting again somewhere else. He's made too much of a mess of his life here."

"Is that really how you see it?" Audrey asked the blond girl interestedly.

"Yes, it's just his body that will die if he's executed," Luna noted. "The soul is immortal and will carry on. Hopefully, next time Malfoy will find somewhere that brings him peace."

"I sort of like that idea," Harry said wistfully, "It makes me think that my parents are in a better place."

"I'm sure your mum and dad are still watching over you, Harry," Luna smiled. "Although hopefully not when you're alone with Ginny."

"Oh, trust me, James would want to watch that," Remus smirked.

"Our campaign to install Madam Bones as Minister is going well," Percy interrupted in a desperate effort to get the meeting back on track. "As we suspected, Rufus Scrimgeour is starting to campaign hard, but we've been pretty successful in limiting his support."

"Our campaign has been based on three elements: bribery, blackmail and defamation," Audrey explained.

"Nice combination," Bill laughed.

"Thank you, future brother-in-law, we thought so, too," Audrey smirked. "The bribery part has been pretty straightforward and, thanks to Sirius's generous support, we've been able to outbid Scrimgeour for the purchasable votes pretty consistently."

"The blackmailing side has been trickier," Percy said, taking over. "Audrey has kept some fairly extensive files on financial irregularities over the years and Tonks has managed to provide some interesting information that the Aurors were never able to follow up on due to lack of evidence. Even so, we've had to be fairly selective on who we apply pressure to. By far, our greatest success has been in getting Cecil Greengrass to throw his support behind Amelia."

"Greengrass?" Harry pondered. "There are two girls at Hogwarts called that name, both in Slytherin. Are they any relation?"

"They are his daughters and word has it that he was trying to arrange a Betrothal Agreement with Lucius Malfoy before his arrest for one of the girls to marry Draco, which probably says more about Greengrass's politics than I ever could," Percy confirmed. "Needless to say, that arrangement is now dead in the water."

"Lucky girls," Ginny noted.

"Quite," Percy agreed. "Anyway, Greengrass has always been a despicable sort and has had his fingers in dozens of shady deals. While the family has never actively supported Voldemort, there certainly have been rumours of financial contributions and definite political support for the pure-blood cause. Fortunately, my lovely fiancé here managed to find some pretty damning holes in his tax returns, certainly serious enough to convince him that a vote for Bones would be in his best interest."

"It helps that the pure-bloods don't have a strong contender at present. Scrimgeour has been trying to sell himself in that role, but our final tactic, defamation, has helped limit his appeal," Audrey smirked.

"Somehow, a paper detailing Scrimgeour's proposed tax reforms has been leaked to certain members of the Wizengamot. As there seems to be a rather large hole in funding, Scrimgeour has apparently decided that tax increases among the higher earning families will be required. This, needless to say, has significantly reduced his appeal amongst the older, pure-blood houses," Percy explained.

"Wow, that paper being leaked is a sure-fire vote loser for Rufus," Ginny exclaimed.

"I certainly hope so, it took me long enough to write the paper," Percy grinned.

"See why I love him?" Audrey laughed.

"Definitely!" Harry laughed. "I think I love him a bit after that brilliant idea, too."

"I'm sorry, Harry, but I'm immensely fond of my sister and I could never steal her boyfriend from her," Percy deadpanned.

"Blimey, he's developed a sense of humour, too!" Bill exclaimed. "Percy, you've just become my favourite brother."

"So, is Amelia a shoe-in for the post of Minister?" Tonks asked.

"I'd say at present we definitely have about fifty per cent of the votes with Scrimgeour controlling about thirty per cent. The remaining twenty per cent is undecided, but a significant proportion of them are swaying towards Bones," Audrey explained. "It's not totally in the bag, but I'm pretty confident."

"Superb," Harry exclaimed. "With a decent Minister in place we can hopefully round up the last remaining Death Eaters and cut Voldemort off at the knees."

"Speaking of old snake face, how much progress are you making with those spell books you liberated from Malfoy Manor?" Tonks asked.

"We've pretty much found what we're looking for," Ginny confirmed. "As we suspected, the spell needs a shed-load of power to work, and Harry's been practicing it for the last few days. Eva's said she wants to probe the soul splinter in Harry's mind a bit before we attempt anything, but we should be pretty much ready to go as soon as the love-birds return from their honeymoon."

"Mauritius," Tonks said dreamily, "I'd love to be able to afford to go there."

"Ah, well, maybe it's time for me to say my piece," Bill piped up. "Fleur and I have taken those pieces of jewellery we took from the raid and had them valued by the goblins. It turns out that there were several rare pieces in that collection."

"Oui," Fleur agreed. "One piece in particular was very valuable. It was called ze 'Eye of Nairobi' and it 'ad be missing for some time."

"How much was it worth?" Audrey asked with interest.

"The goblins valued it at a little over two million Galleons," Bill told them.

Complete and utter silence greeted his words.

"Are you telling us that we could potentially have two million Galleons to split between us?" Ginny gasped eventually.

"Oh, no, it was just that one piece that was worth that much," Bill grinned. "The other eight pieces you brought back will double that amount."

Ginny felt her jaw drop. At that moment she didn't know whether to faint or dance a jig. It looked like everyone else was in that same boat.

"Of course, we have to find buyers for all the jewellery, but the goblins think they have a buyer for the 'Eye of Nairobi' in Abu Dhabi. They'll want a commission, of course, but it would mean we could sell it without any hassle and it would be virtually impossible to trace it back to us," Bill informed them all. "Oh, they also think they have buyers for three of the other pieces in the Far East."

"Oh… my… god," Hermione muttered. "Four million galleons split twelve ways…"

"Ten ways," Bill interrupted. "I talked to Sirius about this a few days ago as I knew he wouldn't be at this meeting. He believes he already has more money than he could ever spend and doesn't want a share for Eva or himself."

Hermione whimpered.

"Are you okay with this, Hermione?" Ginny asked curiously. "I mean, this money is essentially from ill-gotten gains."

"Well… it does make me a bit uncomfortable, but I could do so much good with this money!" Hermione declared. "There are loads of great charities I could help. I could give some money to my parents so they could expand their dental surgery. Oh, I could afford to go to Muggle university. That would be brilliant!"

"Yes, and we do have to make sure the Malfoys don't have access to that wealth," Luna pointed out.

"Maybe hanging around with you, Ginny, has loosened my morals a bit," Hermione smirked.

"Bloody cheek!" Ginny exclaimed. "Now if you'd said Sirius…"

"Oh, that goes without saying," Hermione said with a wave of her hand.

"So, everyone is happy with this?" Harry asked the group. "We get Bill to arrange the sale of the jewellery with the Goblins, and then we split the proceeds evenly?"

Everyone nodded enthusiastically.

"I think that's the first time everyone has agreed on something without any arguments," Harry laughed.

"While we're loosely talking about the Malfoys, have we heard anything more about what happened at Malfoy Manor?" Hermione asked.

"Nope, not a sausage," Tonks replied. "Either Narcissa didn't realise that the fire was a result of a break-in, or she doesn't want to report it because she doesn't want to admit what's gone missing."

"Do we know how much damage was done to the house?" Harry asked.

"No, but I might try and dig up an excuse to visit in a few days. It's long been suspected that Malfoy Manor was one of Voldemort's main headquarters during the last war, so if we've taken it out completely that will be a big victory for us," Tonks grinned evilly.

"Thank Harry and his pyromaniacal tendencies," Ginny laughed.

"I resent that, I haven't burnt anything down all week," Harry joked, "but seriously, do we have anything else we need to cover?"

Nobody had any suggestions.

"Then I suggest we declare this meeting closed and we then raid Sirius's booze supply to celebrate becoming filthy, stinking rich!" he yelled happily.

Sirius would return from his honeymoon the following week to find his drinks cabinet severely depleted.

HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP

Several days later, Ginny awoke in the bed she and Harry had been sharing to find him gone. As it was already past ten in the morning, she wasn't exactly surprised to find he'd already gotten up. He was a habitual early-riser and had never really shared her extreme love of lie-ins.

Blearily, she rose and quickly used the bathroom. Throwing on a pair of shorts and a t-shirt, she made her way downstairs in search of breakfast. In the kitchen, she found not only her missing boyfriend but also Remus and Tonks who were both staying at Grimmauld Place while Sirius and Eva were away.

"Morning, guys," she yawned as she took a seat next to Harry. "Any breakfast left?"

"Morning, sleeping beauty," Harry smirked. "Dobby has been keeping a plate warm for you."

"Great, I'm starving," Ginny announced as she took a seat next to Harry.

"I'm not surprised, it is nearly lunchtime, after all," Tonks teased. "Are you sure you and Sirius aren't related?"

"Oh, ha, ha," Ginny snorted, before picking up her knife and fork and tucking into the large breakfast that Dobby had set before her.

"You might want to read this morning Daily Prophet while you eat," Harry suggested, placing the newspaper in front of her. The headline immediately caught her eye.

_Prominent Pure-Blood Wizard Executed! _

_Yesterday morning at nine a.m. precisely, Lucius Malfoy, advisor to former Minister for Magic Cornelius Fudge, was executed by being subjected to a Dementor's Kiss. _

_Malfoy received the death sentence after being convicted of being a Death Eater following a full confession under the influence of Veritaserum. He confessed to personally killing five witches and wizards, and no less than sixteen Muggles. He also admitted numerous other crimes, including theft, bribery, forgery and kidnapping. _

_While his sentence was undoubtedly well deserved, his closeness to former Minister Fudge creates numerous questions regarding our former leader. At present, Fudge is being detained by the Department of Magical Law Enforcement following the discovery he embezzled hundreds of thousands of Galleons from Ministry funds. It is rumoured that he also accepted numerous bribes from Malfoy, and that his relationship with the Death Eater is being thoroughly investigated._

_In addition to these rumours, it is also believed… _

Ginny carefully placed her cutlery on her plate and sat back in her chair. Lucius Malfoy, the man responsible for planting Riddle's accursed diary on her, was dead. She took a deep breath and tried to calm herself.

"Are you alright, love?" Harry asked in a concerned voice.

"Yeah, I'm okay," Ginny replied, but even she could hear her voice tremble.

Harry leapt from his seat and enveloped her in a fierce hug.

"He's gone, Ginny, the bastard is gone," he told her. "He can't hurt anyone ever again."

"I know, I just… damn it! That man took my childhood from me, Harry. He used me as a tool to hurt my dad and he nearly unleased Voldemort back onto the world again. You read how many people he killed. He was evil, pure evil. The Dementor's Kiss was too good for him," she sobbed.

"It's alright, love," Harry said soothingly while rubbing her back. "He's gone, and that's the important thing."

"Yeah, I guess," she replied shakily. "Bloody hell! Why am I even crying? I should be dancing a jig about now!"

"It's never that simple, Ginny," Tonks told her kindly. "Malfoy hurt you deeply and he tried to hurt people you love, too. It's not just about getting justice for what he did to you. All this has brought back all the pain you suffered, and that's got to have an effect you. Don't be afraid to cry, babe, it's best to just let it out."

"No," Ginny said firmly, pulling away from Harry slightly and wiping her eyes. "I'll never be a victim again and I'm damned if I'm going to allow Lucius bloody Malfoy to make me cry. I'm glad he's dead and, you know what? I'm going to bloody enjoy today!"

She looked her boyfriend straight in the eye.

"Harry, I'm going to go upstairs to wash and dress. While I'm doing that, I want you and Dobby to put together a picnic basket because you and I are going to have a day out somewhere nice. I'll let you surprise me where, exactly," she told him in a no-nonsense tone. "Later, when we get back, all four of us are going to put on our best clothes and find the poshest restaurant we can find and have a slap-up meal. What do you all say?"

Harry smiled broadly. "I think that's a great idea, Ginny," he said.

"Oh, hell, yes!" Tonks agreed. "I haven't had a chance to wear my posh frock for ages. I'm up for a celebration."

"In view of our forthcoming windfall, courtesy of the Malfoy's extensive jewellery collection, I think we can afford to push the boat out," Remus agreed. "Besides, Sirius left me some 'emergency funds' in case of need, and I think we desperately need a few bottles of the finest champagne with our dinner tonight, don't you?"

"Damn right," Harry laughed. "But before you go and wash, Ginny, have a look at page seventeen of the Prophet. I think we'll have cause for a double celebration tonight."

Puzzled, Ginny picked up the discarded paper and turned to the page he indicated. Most of the page was taken up with a section marked 'Notices'. Harry leaned over and indicated one specific item with his finger.

_Arthur and Molly Weasley are delighted to announce the betrothal of their daughter, Ginevra Molly Weasley, of Ottery St. Catchpole, Devon, to Harry James Potter, of London. _

That was all the notice said, but Ginny's heart leapt at the sight of it. She looked up at Harry in shock.

"It seems that Sirius and your parents signed the agreement just before the wedding," he explained. "Looks like you're stuck with me now."

Ginny leapt at him and pulled him into a passionate kiss, ignoring the chortling that was coming from Remus and Tonks. She pulled away with a huge grin on her face and a song in her heart.

"Make sure that basket is well stocked, Harry. You and I are going to have a wonderful day out!" she told him, before she turned and hurried out the room.

She hurried up to her bedroom and began to pull clothes hurriedly from a drawer, desperate to find something suitable to wear for a romantic outing with her boyfriend. In the end, she virtually emptied the drawer onto her bed in her excitement, before she turned and hurried to get washed.

As she entered the en-suite bathroom, she caught sight of herself in the mirror. For a second, she was shocked at how old she looked. She would be fifteen in just a few weeks, but the girl who looked back at her looked like a grown woman. Slowly, she edged closer to the mirror and looked into her own brown eyes. There was no way that those were the eyes of a child, she realised. Both she and Harry had experienced too much to be ever thought of as children again.

"You might have taken my childhood, Malfoy, but the rest of my life is mine, and I'm going to live it to the full!" she declared. Her reflection seemed to approve of her words.

With a triumphant smile on her lips, Ginny shrugged off her clothes and started the shower.


	5. Chapter 5 – Mind Games

**Chapter 5 – Mind Games **

**AN**

Oh, I can sense the death threats coming! Hopefully, there won't be too many of you angry at me after the end of this chapter, but I suspect that hope may be in vain.

Huge thanks as always to Arnel for beta'ing this chapter.

* * *

"Welcome back, you two," Harry said enthusiastically. "Did you enjoy yourselves?"

"We had a wonderful time," Sirius grinned, catching his godson in a rough hug.

"Yes, it was truly a magical honeymoon," Eva agreed, stepping forward to accept a hug from Ginny.

"Oh, I'm so glad," Ginny said happily. "Come on in. I know Dobby has tea and crumpets waiting for you. Come into the kitchen and tell us all about it!"

Sirius and Eva deposited their bags in the hallway of Grimmauld Place and followed Harry and Ginny into the kitchen. As soon as Dobby caught sight of the returning couple, he jumped for joy and was soon busy pouring cups of tea. A small mountain of buttered crumpets also appeared on the table before the little elf sat himself on his favourite stool to listen to the honeymooners describe their trip.

"Mauritius was a total paradise," Sirius declared before he'd even sipped his tea. "Golden sands, cobalt-blueseas, and Eva in a swimming costume so revealing several of the locals fainted at the sight of her."

"Sirius!" Eva scolded him. "Seriously though, it was utterly beautiful. We had a beach-side suite that was luxurious, spas, pools, several nearby restaurants that served heavenly food…"

"Not to mention a fabulous poolside bar that did these wonderful rum cocktails," Sirius interrupted.

"…which you drank far too many of," Eva smiled wryly. "We hired a boat for the day and went diving in the most beautiful, crystal-clear water I have ever seen. The marine life over there is just amazing. Sirius even tried to play Muggle golf…"

"Stupid game," Sirius growled.

"You're only saying that because you were so bad at it," Eva laughed. "At one point, he sliced the ball so badly it nearly hit the man waiting to play next. That wouldn't have been so bad other than he was standing directly behind us!"

"As I said; stupid game," Sirius repeated.

"Apart from that little incident, I can honestly say I had the time of my life. So, what's been happening here? Anything interesting?" Eva asked.

"Apart from Ginny and I becoming betrothed, you mean?" Harry smirked. "Why didn't you tell us you signed the agreement before you left?"

"I wanted it to be a nice surprise," Sirius beamed. "I take it the official announcement appeared in the Daily Prophet?"

"Yeah, and we've had hundreds of letters about it diverted to the local post-office. I'm glad we don't get post delivered directly here, because a good proportion of them were Howlers!" Harry moaned.

"Don't exaggerate, we had eleven Howlers, that's all," Ginny corrected. "Most of the letters were just offering congratulations, although Harry did have quite a few from distraught young witches begging him to break the agreement and marry them instead."

"Some of them weren't so young, either," Harry said with a shudder. "I think the creepiest letter I got was from a sixty-two-year-old witch who went to great lengths to explain how she thought experience in the bedroom was more important than youth or good-looks. I'm still having nightmares about that one."

"We burnt the photo she sent. Trust me, you wouldn't have wanted to see it," Ginny sniggered.

"Anyway, we had a bit of a celebration on the day of the announcement. Ginny and I spent the day in North Cornwall, before we took Remus and Tonks out to a fancy restaurant," Harry explained.

"We even managed to convince the waiter there that Harry and I were over eighteen!" Ginny laughed. "Oh, that money you left Remus in case of emergencies? We blew the lot on oysters and ridiculously expensive champagne."

"Excellent!" Sirius declared. "I was worried Remus would waste it on something practical and boring."

"On a more serious note, they sentenced Lucius Malfoy while you were away. He was given a Dementor's Kiss," Harry explained solemnly.

Sirius sighed. "While I wouldn't wish that on my worst enemy, it was necessary, I think. With Malfoy out of the game, if Voldemort does manage to return again he'll find his support base severely weakened. The Malfoys were the financial backbone behind his operations and I suspect that becoming a Death Eater will be a lot less appealing without him throwing Galleons at the new recruits."

"Oh, of the other Death Eaters captured at the Ministry, three others were Kissed, too. Jugson, Macnair and Rookwood were all convicted of crimes warranting a death sentence. The others all got life in Azkaban," Ginny informed them.

"Madam Bones wasn't messing around when it came to dealing with them. Of course, the fact that Fudgy is currently cooling his heels in prison helped a lot," Harry noted.

"How's the election campaign going?" Sirius asked.

"Audrey is now confident that we hold about sixty per cent of the total votes and she's working on a few others. Scrimgeour's support seems to be crumbling a bit as a few people who committed to vote for him seem to be having second thoughts. I guess they can see the way the winds blowing and don't want to be on the losing side," Ginny explained.

"No, you wouldn't want to be on Amelia's bad side after she's made Minister for Magic," Eva agreed.

"How come you get to call her by her first name and I have to call her 'Madam Bones' all the time?" Sirius griped.

"Because Amelia and I have a great deal of respect for each other, while she can see right through you," Eva said smugly.

"She's going to make a very wise Minister," Harry noted with a smirk, while Sirius muttered under his breath.

"Right, what's on the agenda for today?" Ginny asked. "I'm sure you two need a few days to recover before we get into the swing of things."

"I certainly need a few days," Sirius declared. "I married a very passionate woman, you know. I barely have the strength to stand after all the bonking I've done."

"Too much information!" Harry bellowed, putting his hands over his ears.

"Don't worry, Harry. If he keeps up this kind of behaviour he won't be doing any more 'bonking' as he calls it for a very long time!" Eva said crisply. "I do, however, want to probe that splinter of Voldemort's soul soon, but I guess that can wait until tomorrow. Have you decided when you want to try and cast the Mind Rape Spell?"

"As soon as possible," Ginny confirmed. "Now the Betrothal is in place, we want to get that foul piece of Voldemort out of Harry as soon as possible. Besides, the sooner we do this, the sooner we can start trying to gather Voldemort's Horcruxes. We don't know what that's going to involve, exactly, and the more time we have to devote to it, the better."

"Very well, let me work with Harry tomorrow, and I'll confirm how much time I'll need to prepare," Eva agreed.

"Great, I can't wait," Harry said passionately.

"Why is my drinks cabinet nearly empty?" Sirius asked suddenly.

Harry and Ginny both put on their most innocent expressions, and proceeded to blame the whole thing on Remus.

HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP

Three days later, the four of them gathered in a spare bedroom at the back of the house. The Floo had been locked down to prevent its use, and Dobby had been instructed to admit absolutely no visitors. It was imperative that no one interrupted what they were about to attempt.

Harry nervously sat on the edge of the single bed that dominated the small room. Eva sat beside him on a simple wooden chair with her wand gripped tightly in her hand. Sirius and Ginny stood close by with their own wands held loosely at their sides.

"Alright, Harry, are you ready to attempt this?" Eva asked calmly.

Harry just nodded. He'd been practicing the repulsive spell he was about to use repeatedly over the last week, and was confident he could cast it in his sleep. It was fortunate that few people had the power required to perform it, as Harry had reported that it was a vile charm that turned his stomach. Now, he was about to use it on himself.

Ginny gave him an encouraging smile and fought down her own fear. It was fortunate that the counter-charm that would free Harry from the effects of the Mind Rape Spell was a lot simpler to perform, and Eva, Sirius and herself had all spent most of the previous day practicing it. Any of them could dispel the charm within seconds if required.

"Well, I guess there's no point putting this off any longer," Harry decided before pointing his wand at his forehead. _"Potens Es Patefacio!" _

For a second, Harry's head was bathed in a silvery light. His eyes then rolled back into his head and he flopped lifelessly back onto the bed.

"Is he alright?" Ginny asked quickly.

"Yes, Ginny, he's fine," Eva assured her. "The spell worked perfectly. Harry's body is paralysed and his mind is defenceless. I will try to find what we need as quickly as possible. _Legilimens!" _

With her own wand pointed at Harry's temple, Eva entered his mind in an effort to discover Voldemort's secrets. It wasn't long before she found what she was looking for.

"Ah, there you are, Voldemort," she whispered to herself, her eyes closed in concentration. "Let's see what you have to tell me, yes?"

Eva was silent for a few moments before she began to twitch and shudder.

"Oh, such hate…" she gasped. "His mind, it's, it's… one huge mass of seething anger. He hates everyone and everything!"

A look of total disgust and fear came onto her face.

"He doesn't want to rule the world, he wants to destroy it utterly!" she gasped. "His ambition and hatred know no bounds! He will not be satisfied until he has killed every living thing on this planet and he alone survives. Even then, that won't be enough! He hungers to grow in power so that he can leave this world and travel to new ones. He wants to conquer the stars themselves: he's insane!"

"The Horcruxes, Eva," Sirius urged. "We need to know where they are so we can stop the mad bastard!"

"Of course, of course," she muttered before scrunching her face in concentration. "I think I… yes, yes! I see where they… no, what are you… no, you can't be!"

The wand dropped from her suddenly trembling fingers. "He's free!" she declared with mounting panic. "He's shaken off the effects of the spell! He's… no, NO! Leave me alone!"

Eva toppled from her chair and landed on her knees. Her hands went to her hair and she looked for a moment like she was trying to pull it out by the roots. Then, without warning, she emitted a terrible, ear-shattering scream that Ginny thought might break ever piece of glass in the house.

"Something's gone wrong!" Sirius yelled. "Voldemort's fighting back!"

"Eva, fight him!" Ginny begged, dropping to her knees besides the screaming woman.

"Nooo! Get him out! Get him out!" Eva screeched in agony.

"Wake Harry up!" Sirius bellowed. "He might be able to contain Voldemort!"

_"__Et Derelinquam Vos!" _Ginny shrieked, her wand pointing at her boyfriend.

The spell worked instantly and Harry began to gently moan. A few seconds later, he rolled onto his side and opened his eyes.

"What… what's happening…" he mumbled.

"Harry, Voldemort got free of the spell! He's attacking Eva!" Ginny yelled, her panic mounting.

"What?" Harry exclaimed. He rolled off the bed and grabbed Eva's head in his hands. For a moment, his expression became distant before he dropped his hands and looked over at Sirius.

"Hold her!" he commanded. "Hold her and tell her how much you love her. Keep doing that until I tell you otherwise."

Sirius complied instantly, throwing his arms around his new wife and repeatedly telling her that he loved her. His face was cloaked in fear and his voice trembled as he spoke.

"Ginny, come and hold me. I need your love and support, too!" Harry said, his voice cracking like a whip.

With only the vaguest idea of what he was doing, Ginny threw her arms around him and hugged him tightly. From their experience at the Ministry just a few weeks before, she knew Voldemort couldn't stand to experience the feeling of love in any form, and she assumed Harry was trying somehow to use this against him, but quite how she didn't know. A second later, her unspoken question was answered.

_"__Legilimens!" _Harry cried, pointing his wand at Eva.

For a second, Ginny felt a wave of panic inside her. Harry obviously was going to confront the spirit of Voldemort within Eva's mind. Would he be strong enough to do it? The last time his mind had encountered Voldemort's, it had nearly destroyed him.

Eva screamed again. A ragged, heart-breaking scream that sounded like it was tearing her vocal cords apart. A second later, Harry screamed, too. His voice joining Eva's in a strange and terrible harmony. Ginny clutched him tightly, trying to pour her love into him and bitterly regretting that they hadn't performed the Soul Bonding Ritual already.

The screams went on and Ginny thought her eardrums would burst. She looked over at Eva and saw Sirius gripping her for dear life, tears streaming down his face. Desperately, she wracked her mind trying to think of something to do. It was only after a few moments that she realised that a third voice had joined the inhuman screaming: Voldemort's.

A second later, something hit her with the force of a sledgehammer and Harry was ripped from her grasp. She had a momentary sensation of flying, before she impacted with something hard and blacked out for a second.

Ginny came to and found herself face down on the carpet. The back of her head was splitting and her fingers found a massive bump forming as they tenderly felt for damage. She rolled on her side and looked back to see what she had hit. It was with some shock that she saw she had managed to knock a head-shaped hole in the wall. Just was well it was a partition wall; if it was solid brick she would probably be dead right now.

A low moan diverted her attention and the memory of what had just happened came flooding back to her. Desperately, she looked around and saw Eva shakily rising on her hands and knees. Her face was pale and she looked like she was fighting the urge to vomit.

Ginny forced herself to stand and was instantly hit by a wave of nausea. She managed to get control of herself, and she looked about her.

"Harry!" she screamed as she caught sight of her boyfriend. He was crumpled on the bed with his right arm bent backwards in an unnatural position. She leapt towards him and was relieved to find him still breathing. At her touch, he began to moan softly.

"Ginny, Sirius is hurt!" Eva called.

Ginny looked round to see Eva crouched over the body of her husband, who looked like he'd been thrown against the far wall.

"The back of his head is bleeding and I can't wake him!" Eva sobbed, sounding like she was starting to go into shock.

Fighting her rising panic, Ginny did the only thing she could think of. "Dobby!" she bellowed.

A few seconds later, Dobby appeared with a worried expression on his face.

"Dobby, find Madam Pomfrey," Ginny shouted. "I don't care where she is or what she's doing, fetch her now! Open the Floo, rip down the wards, anything! Just get her here!"

Dobby took one look around him, emitted a small whimper and vanished. Just a few moments later, he popped back into the room clutching at the leg of an extremely surprised Poppy Pomfrey. Ginny barely recognised her out of uniform.

"What's going on?" Madam Pomfrey yelled in alarm. "Ginny Weasley? Where am I?"

"Help us!" Ginny screamed. "Harry and Sirius are hurt! Please help us!"

If nothing else, Madam Pomfrey was a total professional. As soon as she realised there were injured people that needed her attention, she immediately launched herself into action, irrespective of the fact that only seconds before she had been snatched against her will by a crazed house-elf from wherever she had been.

The matron hurriedly pulled out her wand from a pocket in the casual slacks she was wearing, and waved it over Harry. She then turned and hurried over to where Eva was cradling Sirius and repeated the action. With a gasp of horror, the witch dropped to her knees and frantically began to work on the fallen man.

In the meantime, Harry began to gain consciousness. He began to moan loudly from the pain.

"Madam Pomfrey! Harry's awaking up and he's in agony," Ginny wailed.

"Hush, girl, if he's crying out, he's not in immediate danger. Always treat head wounds first, that's the golden rule," Madam Pomfrey snapped before turning her attention back to Sirius. It was several minutes before she was able to make her way back over to Harry.

"Okay, his arm is broken in three places and he has several broken ribs, too," she announced before waving her wand again. Harry's arm seemed to snap back into place and he bellowed in pain. Pomfrey turned to Ginny. "Can that blasted elf of yours get Harry and Sirius to the hospital wing at Hogwarts?"

"Yes, yes, I's can be moving Masters Harry and Sirius," Dobby piped up before Ginny had a chance to speak.

"Good, move Harry first, gently as you can," Pomfrey instructed the little elf. "Lay him on the first available bed and then come back for Sirius. I'll have put him in a Full Body Bind by that point; it's vital he's not jolted and shaken about. His life could depend on it!"

Dobby let out a strangled sob before he darted over to Harry and a second later vanished. Madam Pomfrey had barely managed to immobilise Sirius before he returned. Dobby gently placed his hand on Sirius's leg and, with a soft pop, disappeared from sight.

"What about you two? Are you hurt?" Pomfrey demanded.

"I hit the back of my head," Ginny admitted.

"Think I'm going to faint," Eva slurred.

"Right, as soon as that elf returns, we're all heading to the hospital wing. No arguments!" Pomfrey snapped.

Ginny slumped down on the bed, with her head spinning. A second later, everything went black.

HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP

Ginny awoke to find herself tucked up in bed. A quick glance round revealed that she had indeed been transported to the Hogwarts hospital wing. Hazily, she tried to sit up.

"Ah, you're awake, are you? Good," a voice said from somewhere nearby. Blinking, Ginny looked to her left to see Madam Promfrey walking towards her.

"Yeah, I… ouch! Oh, my head really hurts," she complained and ceased trying to move.

"I'm not surprised. It appears you slammed against that wall hard enough to nearly split your head open. You're a very lucky you weren't seriously injured," the Matron scolded.

"How are Harry and Sirius?" Ginny asked urgently.

"Harry will be fine. As far as I can tell, he hit the window frame at an awkward angle and that's how he managed to break his arm so badly. I had to give him a dose of Skele-Gro, in the end. He'll be in for a rough evening, I'm afraid. As for Sirius, well, I'm afraid he's in rather a worst state," Pomfrey explained with a worried frown.

"What's wrong with him?" Ginny asked in dread.

"He cracked his skull open," Eva said, appearing suddenly.

"What? Is he going to be alright?" Ginny demanded, panic rising in her.

"I think so," Madam Pomfrey confirmed, "but it was touch and go for a moment. I had to summon a specialist Healer from St Mungo's to help. He was very concerned initially that Sirius might have suffered brain damage, but he's hopefully that's been avoided. Even so, it will be quite some time before Sirius is back to full health."

A muffled sob came from Eva and she sat heavily on a chair next to Ginny's bed. The woman looked like she was on the verge of falling apart.

"Alright, ladies, I've been very patient up to now, but I think it's time you told me just what happened to cause all this," Madam Pomfrey demanded, "and no, Mrs Black, just trying to palm this off as an experiment that went wrong won't wash! All four of you have been subjected to a massive burst of concentrated magic which seems to have thrown you about like you were rag dolls. Now, so far I have conceded to Mrs Black's request not to involve the Headmaster, but unless I get some answers I will have no choice other than to summon him."

Ginny glanced at Eva. Clearly, she had been trying to keep what happened a secret from the efficient nurse, but with only limited success. While it wouldn't be a disaster if Dumbledore became involved, it would be preferable if he was kept out of it.

"Madam Pomfrey," Ginny began cautiously, "what Eva told you wasn't a lie. We were indeed doing something experimental. But as much as I want to tell you what happened, I can't, both for your safety as well as ours."

"What? What could you have been doing that's so secret?" Pomfrey demanded.

"Just think about it," Ginny insisted. "Think of who was involved and then think of the dangers that person has faced in the past."

Madam Pomfrey frowned for a moment before her eyes went wide. She turned suddenly and stared at the bed next to Ginny's in which Harry was sleeping.

"Tell me, Madam Promfrey, what exactly has the Headmaster told you about Harry? You must have noticed how malnourished and badly cared-for he was when he first came to the school. Did Dumbledore offer any explanation for this?" Ginny asked calmly.

For a moment, Pomfrey looked decidedly uncomfortable. "Well, he did say that the Muggles that looked after Harry weren't the best of sorts, but that I wasn't to worry about it. The Headmaster promised to take care of it, and I have to say that he did. Every year he's been back, I've noticed improvements in Harry's health. I suspect that his diet has drastically improved. Why, just look at him now! He's as fit as a fiddle."

"I suspect his improved diet has more to do with my mum rather than anything the Headmaster did," Ginny scoffed. "But ignoring that, did Dumbledore say anything about what happened to Harry when Voldemort attacked him in nineteen eighty-one? In particular, did he mention anything about his scar?"

"Well… he did say that it was important that I didn't try to examine it too closely. It's still quite tender, I believe, even after all this time. The Headmaster told me that the scar had been examined by a number of notable Healers and it was perfectly safe, but that nothing could be done to heal it completely," Madam Pomfrey explained.

"As I thought," Ginny nodded. "That's complete bullshit, Madam Pomfrey. Harry's scar was never looked at by any Healers, ever. Not even right after he was attacked. He was picked up from the ruins of his home and dumped straight with those dreadful Muggles he has the misfortunate to call relative."

"But why? Why was he never examined by a proper Healer? He'd just been attacked by You-Know-Who, for Merlin's sake!" the nurse exclaimed in horror.

"You must promise that what I'm about to tell you will remain a secret," Ginny said solemnly.

Madam Promfrey nodded.

"Professor Dumbledore is a wise and powerful wizard, but he's not infallible. After Harry was attacked, he took one look at the scar that Voldemort had inflicted, and realised it wasn't just a simple wound. No, that scar is cursed, Madam Pomfrey, and it retains as much power today as it did when it was given to him. Dumbledore realised this immediately and thought that Harry was doomed," Ginny explained.

"What?" Madam Pomfrey nearly screeched. "But there must be something that can be done! There are experts in this sort of thing overseas, have they been consulted? Why, there's a Healer in Japan who…"

"Madam Pomfrey!" Ginny interrupted. "Didn't I just say that Dumbledore wasn't infallible? No, the Headmaster thought that Harry's cursed scar was untreatable, but he was wrong. We know of a fool-proof method of removing the curse that he never thought of. Harry will be fine, I promise you."

"But if this method is fool-proof, what went wrong today?" the Matron asked pointedly.

"We weren't trying to heal the scar today," Eva interrupted in a despondent voice. "The injury Harry suffered is unique and I, in my foolishness, sought to use my Occlumency skills to examine it more closely prior to it being healed. I did not, however, anticipate the sheer magical power contained in the curse and it backfired on us all when I was examining it. What happened is my fault, and I take full responsibility for it."

Madam Pomfrey looked at Eva with a strange mix of anger and sympathy.

"You were idiotic to try to probe such dangerous magic without professional assistant," she scolded. "You could well have gotten everyone killed! I trust there will be no more such imprudent attempts again?"

"No, I promise you that," Eva replied quietly.

The Matron nodded and turned her attention back to Ginny.

"This method you have for healing Mr Potter's scar, do you intend to perform the procedure soon?" she demanded.

"Yes, quite soon," Ginny confirmed. Clearly, attempting to obtain information from Voldemort's soul splinter was impossible, so there was no reason that the Soul Bonding Ritual shouldn't be performed as soon as possible.

"Then I want to be present when it is performed," Madam Pomfrey declared.

Ginny shifted uncomfortably. "Err… I don't think that's a good idea. The procedure doesn't exactly lend itself to spectators."

"Then I have no option than to inform Professor Dumbledore of what has occurred today," Pomfrey responded sharply. "Clearly, no one involved can be trusted not to take unnecessary risks, so I have no choice but to involve the Headmaster."

"Wait!" Ginny cried. She glanced at Eva who returned her look uncertainly. Sighing, Ginny realised she had no option other than to tell the Matron exactly what they intended to do.

"Harry and I are going to perform a Soul Bonding Ritual," Ginny explained reluctantly. "The merging of our two souls will purge his scar of the residual evil it contains. I'm sure you know what the Ritual entails and why we need to be alone while we perform it. Dumbledore knows this is what we intend to do, and approves."

Pomfrey's jaw dropped in shock. "But if you need to do that…" she mumbled, before spinning and looking at Harry's sleeping form in horror. "Oh, sweet Merlin!"

"I believe, Madam Pomfrey, you understand why Harry and Ginny must undertake this most unusual Ritual," Eva noted calmly. "I do not need to stress how sensitive this information is and that it must not be repeated to another living soul. Indeed, I think we will need a Magical Oath that you will not do so."

"My Healer's Oath already covers that," Pomfrey snapped, before her expression softened. "Although maybe it would be best for all concerned it I did give you some additional assurance. Oh, that poor, sweet boy. This explains so much!"

"He's going to be alright," Ginny insisted. "I'm going to make sure of that."

"You do know what the Ritual entails and what the effects will be, don't you?" Pomfrey asked gently.

"I do, and I'm more than willing to go through with it. Harry and I were destined to be together, and our magic is perfectly matched. The Ritual will be no hardship for me, I assure you," Ginny said, offering the nurse a comforting smile.

"Very well, I will not insist on being present while you perform the Ritual, but I do think I should be nearby in case of problems. As Mrs Black noted, Harry's condition is unique and we should be prepared in case of difficulties," Pomfrey agreed. "One thing, though; if the Headmaster is happy for this Ritual to be undertaken, why are you so adamant that he should not be informed of today's events."

"Again, this is my fault," Eva leapt in before Ginny could speak. "Professor Dumbledore was unaware that we would be conducting this experiment and I fear he would be enormously disappointed with us if he found out. I do not want Harry or Ginny to be punished for something that was my fault."

"Well… if you promise that you will be more careful in future, I'll not say anything. Miss Weasley, I would like you to stay in overnight just to be sure that there are no side-effects from your injury. Mrs Black, you are free to leave if you so wish, but I assume you will want to stay?" Pomfrey asked.

"Of course," Eva replied immediately. "What about Sirius and Harry? How long will they have to remain here?"

"Mr Potter should be able to go home tomorrow, assuming his arm heals correctly. As for Sirius, I'm afraid he will be here for a while yet. At least a week, providing there are no adverse reactions to his treatment. Frankly, he's lucky to be alive," Pomfrey informed them.

"Won't the Headmaster notice if he's here this long? And what about you, don't you have someplace you need to be?" Ginny asked.

"Fortunately, I've already been away on holiday, so it doesn't affect me particularly," the matron replied. "As for Albus, I very much doubt we'll see him about for a while. He always makes a point of spending as much of the summer break away from the castle as possible. He always says he appreciates the place so much more if he's been away from it for a while."

"Great, thanks for all your help, Madam Pomfrey. You've been wonderful," Ginny said warmly.

Madam Pomfrey just smiled and headed back to her office. Ginny looked back Eva in concern.

"Are you alright?" she asked the distraught looking woman.

"Not really. I nearly got everyone killed, Ginny! If Sirius had died, I don't know what I would have done… I… I should have been stronger! I should have ejected Voldemort from my mind the second I realised what he was trying to do," Eva wailed.

"Shit, Eva, if there's one person in the world who knows how strong Voldemort's mind is, it's me! There's no way you could have fought him off, that was what the Mind Rape Spell was for. None of this was your fault," Ginny told her passionately.

"There's a difference between our situations, Ginny!" Eva snapped. "You were just a child when Voldemort invaded your mind. I'm a Master Occlumens; I should have been able to defend myself!"

"Bollocks!" Ginny yelled. "I fought a piece of Voldemort's soul that came from his teenage body, and he was incredibly powerful even then! You fought part of him from when he was at the height of his powers. I doubt anyone, with the possible exception of Dumbledore, could have withstood him, so don't start blaming yourself."

"Possibly," Eva mumbled, clearly still unconvinced.

"Definitely," Ginny insisted. "I don't blame you, and I know neither will Sirius nor Harry when they wake up. My only regret is that it was all for nothing and we gaining nothing by risking ourselves."

"But it wasn't for nothing," Eva said, suddenly perking up. "I did manage to find the information we needed about the Horcruxes, that was why Voldemort attacked me so viciously! As soon as he realised that was what I was after, he threw everything he had into breaking free of the spell, but he was too late."

"Then you know what the Horcruxes are and where they are hidden?" Ginny asked breathlessly.

"Yes, I saw everything!" Eva confirmed, a smile finally appearing on her face.

"Brilliant!" Ginny exclaimed. "Quickly, this information is too valuable to risk. Write down all you can remember about the Horcruxes and then summon Dobby and tell him to hide the parchment. We can't be too careful."

"You're quite right; I'll do that immediately," Eva agreed before hurrying towards Madam Pomfrey's office in search of writing materials.

Ginny slowly let her head sink back onto her pillow. It had been a close thing, and they had nearly paid a terrible price for obtaining it, but finally they had the means to make Voldemort mortal.

"Gotcha, you bastard," she muttered before closing her eyes and drifting off into a peaceful sleep.

HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPPHPHPHPHPHPHP

Three days later, Harry, Eva and Ginny were gathered around Sirius's bed. Harry's godfather had awoken the previous day but had been complaining of constant headaches that the potions that Madam Pomfrey provided didn't seem to touch. Understandably, he was grouchy and foul-tempered, but Eva bore the brunt of his irritability with good fortune.

"So, what exactly went wrong?" Sirius demanded from his position propped up in his bed. His head was swaddled in bandages and his face was puffy and bruised.

"The splinter of Voldemort's soul became aware of what I was doing and managed to break free of the effects of the Mind Rape Spell," Eva explained. "He realised that I had managed to discover information about his Horcruxes, and was trying to erase my mind before I could share his secrets. It was a good thing you woke Harry when you did, because he saved me. Encouraging you to tell me that you loved me caused extreme pain to Voldemort, and once Harry entered my mind he was able to add his strength to mine, too. However, in his agony, Voldemort unleased a massive burst of raw magic that nearly destroyed us all. If he had not already been weak from breaking the spell, I suspect none of us would be alive right now."

"This is really important," Ginny jumped in. "This proves that the Horcruxes are sentient and will do everything they can to protect themselves. We're going to have to be really careful when we attempt to destroy the others."

"To be fair, after the problems we had in the Chamber of Secrets, I think we could have worked that out for ourselves," Harry pointed out.

"Yes, but Riddle had nearly absorbed my life-force at that point. The soul splinter in you didn't have that luxury," she argued.

"Unless it's using Harry's life force to power itself already," Eva mussed. "If that's the case, it's been leeching power off Harry for years. When it's removed…"

"Harry will have a massive power boost!" Ginny interrupted. "Bloody hell, Harry, we need to perform the Soul Bonding Ritual as soon as possible."

"Only if we're totally confident that we have all the information we need, first," Sirius disagreed. "Eva, you said you got all the information we need about the Horcruxes, are you sure you got everything?"

"Pretty sure, yes, but we won't really know until we start to look for them. Some will definitely be easier to find than other. The ring that belonged to Marvolo Gaunt, for instance, should be located in a shack near Little Hangleton. I can't foresee too many difficulties in finding that, even if we will have to be very careful when we try to retrieve it. Slytherin's Locket, however, will be harder for us to get our hands on. It is well protected and accessing the cave it is hidden in on the Dorset coast will be difficult. Perhaps the hardest for us to get will be Hufflepuff's Cup which was given to Bellatrix Lestrange for safekeeping and is locked away in her vault at Gringotts," Eva informed them.

"Aren't we missing one?" Ginny asked. "If we assume Voldemort doesn't know about Harry's soul splinter, we've only accounted for two others: the dairy and that bloody snake. Voldemort needed to make six, didn't he?"

"You are correct, Ginny, and he did indeed make a further Horcrux using the Diadem of Rowena Ravenclaw," Eva confirmed. "I saved that until last as it's the easiest to find. It's right here at Hogwarts in that room you use for training."

"Really? But surely we would have seen it by now?" Ginny objected.

"Remember, we always ask the room to provide us with a place to train," Harry pointed out. "I bet if we asked it for a place to hide something we'd be able to find this Diadem thingy."

"You're not just a pretty face, are you?" Ginny smirked.

"Harry, you are quite right," Eva laughed. "Voldemort did indeed ask the room to provide him with just such a place. I suspect we will have little difficulty in getting to that one. I think we should begin our search with one of the others, probably the ring, I would suggest. The cup is a particular worry to me; Gringotts is extremely well protected and it's not like the goblins would just hand it over if we asked nicely."

"You're forgetting something, Eva. We happen to have two Gringotts employees in our little group," Ginny pointed out.

"Of course, Bill and Fleur!" Sirius said triumphantly. "If anyone can get inside one of the vaults, it's them."

"They're also both extremely skilled curse-breakers. I think their help will be invaluable in dealing with the traps protecting these things," Ginny said.

"Definitely, I think we should get them involved as soon as possible," Eva agreed.

"This is all very well, but what are we going to do with the Horcruxes when we get them?" Harry asked. "We already know how difficult it is to destroy these things; how are we going to do it? Do we just ask Dumbledore for the Sword of Gryffindor?"

"I'm not sure I like that idea," Eva said, shaking her head. "We already know that the Horcruxes are not defenceless, and just walking up to one of these things and taking a swing at it with a sword seems a pretty risky option to me."

"I agree," Ginny nodded. "We really need something we use to destroy the Horcruxes from a distance."

"We need something that can be used in such a way that we can catch the Horcruxes unawares," Harry suggested.

"How about Fiendfyre? We could cast that from a distance and it should do the job," Ginny suggested.

"That's a bloody hard spell to control," Sirius noted wearily. "It winds up killing the person who casts it more often than not."

"Well, what else can we use?" Harry asked. "Basilisk venom will do the trick. Do you think we could get some from the Chamber of Secrets?"

"You killed that basilisk over three years ago, Harry. I very much doubt that the venom would have retained its potency in that time," Ginny disagreed.

"So, are there any other methods of destroying Horcruxes? I'm sure someone said there was another one," Harry pondered.

"Yeah, I think we… bloody hell! I'm so stupid! Of course there's another way, and if we do this right, it will be the safest way of destroying them," Ginny exclaimed.

"What?" Eva and Harry asked simultaneously.

"Dragon venom! If basilisk venom can do the trick, then a dragon's will burn a bloody Horcrux to a crisp! And, miraculously, I just happen to know someone who works with dragons every day," Ginny said smugly.

"Charlie!" Harry grinned. "That's brilliant. But tell me, Ginny; is this a plot to get all your brothers involved? What's next, are we going to rope the twins in, as well?"

"Nah, Fred and George are great for pranks and useful little toys, but I see them more as support staff rather than hands-on team members," Ginny decided.

"You're the boss," Harry shrugged.

"See, he's definitely smarter than he looks," Ginny sniggered. "He knows who's in charge!"

"Oh, I think Sirius knows his place in our relationship, too," Eva laughed. "Isn't that right, love?"

There was no reply, however, and as they looked over at Sirius, they realised he was fast asleep.

"Poppy said he would need plenty of sleep," Eva said quietly. "I think we should head back to Grimmauld Place for a while and let him rest."

"I hope he's going to be okay," Harry said in a worried voice.

"He will," Eva said confidently, although her eyes betrayed her unspoken concern.

Making as little noise as they could, the three of them headed towards Madam Pomfrey's office to use the Floo, each lost in their own thoughts.

HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP

Ginny ducked under welcoming the shade of the trees, glad to be out of the intense glare of the sun. She glanced over at Fleur jealously, wishing she'd thought to wear a sun hat like the French girl had.

"Here it is, just like Eva said it would be," Bill noted as he came to stand by her.

"Yeah, this is looking promising," Harry agreed, squinting at the dilapidated shack that was half-hidden by the surrounding undergrowth.

"Oui, we would never 'av found zis place if we 'ad not been told it was 'ear," Fleur added.

"Right, you two youngsters hang back here while Fleur and I check for traps," Bill decided.

"Youngsters?" Ginny protested with a snort. "We'd kick your arse with both hands tied behind our backs."

"Maybe, my sweet little sister, but you're still younger than me and I'm the expert curse-breaker, so stop arguing and stay out of the way," Bill told her smugly.

"Git," Ginny replied, but nevertheless took a few steps back before seating herself under the nearest tree. Harry sat down beside her without argument.

"I hope they don't have any problems," Harry said as he watched Bill and Fleur cautiously approach the shack with their wands extended in front of them.

"Nah, Bill's an expert at this sort of thing," Ginny noted. "Even the goblins think he's one of the best in his field. Trust me, they don't send incompetent curse-breakers to work in Egypt."

The two sat in silence for a while as they watched the others work.

"So, assuming we retrieve the ring from this dump and it proves to be an actual Horcrux, when do you want to perform the Soul Bonding Ritual?" Ginny asked after a few minutes.

"Err, I don't know," Harry admitted. "We're not in that much of a rush, are we? Don't you think it would be better to wait until we know we've got all the Horcruxes? If we destroy this soul splinter in me, we won't have another chance to probe it for information."

"Harry, do you seriously think we're going to risk messing with that bloody thing again?" she replied in exasperation. "It nearly killed us last time, and now it knows what we want, so it will be doubly dangerous. No, we need to get that thing out of you as soon as possible."

"I guess," Harry agreed reluctantly.

"You're not having second thoughts about this, are you?" she asked nervously.

"Not really," Harry told her. "If I do have any worries, they're about things going wrong rather than the results of the ritual itself. I haven't changed my mind about that."

"Good," she said quietly, although she was still worried about his lack of enthusiasm.

Harry sighed, obviously picking up on her concern. "Look, I admit I'm worried that things might go wrong. We thought that the Mind Rape Spell would incapacitate the soul splinter completely, and Voldemort still managed to break free. What happens if he realises what we're doing and try's to stop us?"

"I'm more confident about this," Ginny argued. "We've seen that Voldemort can't stand to experience love in any shape or form, and this ritual is an act of pure love. By the time that bit of Riddle realises what's happening, it will all be too late."

"I hope you're right," Harry sighed.

"Of course I am. You should know by now that I'm always right," she said cheekily.

"Well, nearly always," Harry amended with a grin. "Have you decided where we're going to perform this ritual, anyway?"

"I was thinking we should use the Forbidden Forest," Ginny replied. "You, Mr Potter, are a stupidly-powerful wizard and who knows how much magical energy you might expend. I'll be perfectly safe, but I'm not so sure about the surroundings. Better to do it outdoors, I think."

"Yeah, that doesn't sound dangerous at all, does it?" Harry said sarcastically.

"Harry, when you get right down to it, this ritual is a form of sex-magic. And what is the primary purpose of sex-magic? To create magical energy to perform difficult tasks or spells. Heaven knows, you leak enough magic while we're going at it normally, add in the ritualistic elements and there's a serious risk of you blowing up Grimmauld Place, or something," she giggled.

"Nice to know I make the earth move for you, anyway," Harry smirked.

She leaned over and kissed him. "Oh, you do, lover-boy, you do."

With a lustful grin on his face, Harry turned and slipped his arms around her, pulling her close. He roughly pressed his lips to hers and a moment later she felt his tongue demand entry into her mouth. She eagerly granted his wish and began to run her hands though his silky hair as their tongues frantically caressed each other's.

"Oi, will you two pack it in! I'm trying to concentrate here, and I can't do that while you're ravaging my baby sister, Potter!" yelled Bill, sound more revolted than actually angry.

Ginny just give a two-fingered response, although she decide that now wasn't the time to be getting hot and bothered with Harry. Instead, she had him sit with his back to the tree while she lay down with her head in his lap. From this position of comparative comfort they watched the two curse-breakers get on with their work.

She'd nearly managed to doze off when a shout brought her back to wakefulness. Looking up, Ginny saw that Bill and Fleur had finished their perimeter checks and had actually opened the front door of the shack. Bill was standing in the doorway, waving them over.

"Any problems?" Ginny asked as she approached her brother.

"Not really, although if we hadn't been aware that the place was probably trapped before we started we would have had been in big trouble," Bill admitted. "I'll give You-Know-Who credit; the protections on this place were very subtle. Anyone who approached this place unwarily would probably have triggered the Avoidance and Repelling Charms, at least."

"Oui, and there are much nastier curses cast inside," Fleur said, poking her head over Bill's shoulder. "We 'av dealt with zem, however."

"Are we safe to enter, then?" Harry asked.

"Yeah, but only as far as the entranceway," Bill advised. "We're still checking the rest of the place, not that there's much of it. This place gives hovels a bad name."

They all entered the run-down building and Ginny looked around her. Clearly, no one had been in the place for years, judging by the thick layer of dust that coated everything. The room they had entered appeared to serve as a joint kitchen/living area, although what little furniture there was appeared to be rotting.

"We 'av several spells we use to detect valuable objects. Give us a moment to cast them," Fleur advised before making several sharp slashing movements with her wand. Bill copied her movements while muttering the incantations to several spells that Ginny didn't recognise. The fact that the spells weren't in Voldemort's repertoire gave her confidence.

"I'm definitely getting something from that far corner," Bill said. "Concentrate your spells in that direction, love."

"Oui," Fleur agreed and pointed her wand in the direction Bill had indicated. Ginny choose not to comment on Bill's term of endearment to his French girlfriend. At least, not at that exact moment; it would be far more fun to mention it in the presence of their parents or perhaps the twins.

"Whatever it is, it's under the floorboards," Bill said, grimacing. "I hate pulling up floorboards; they're so easy to trap."

"Perhaps we should just Banish the boards, no?" Fleur suggested.

"Better safe than sorry," Bill agreed and cast a Banishing Charm at the floor. Instantly, a large section of the floor vanished, exposing the rough stone foundations.

"There! There's definitely something in the corner there. It looks like a box," Bill announced before cautiously making his way forward.

When he reached the edge of the remaining floorboards, he carefully dropped into the exposed space and gingerly approached the box with his wand extended. He paused a few feet away from it and began casting another series of intricate spells. After a few minutes, he shrugged and knelt beside the gold-coloured box.

"There definitely doesn't appear to be any other traps that I can find. I'm going to open the box," he declared.

Ginny held her breath as Bill slowly praised open the lid of the box and peered in. A smile lit up his face.

"Jackpot!" he announced happily. "One ring, just as Eva described it."

He reached into the box and retrieved the ring from inside it. He brandished it at them, and Ginny could just make out the golden ring with a large, black stone set in it.

"I told you this would…" Bill started to say, before his face suddenly went blank. Without any expression registering on his face, he held the ring in his left hand and began to move his right hand towards it.

"Bill, no!" Ginny screamed and fumbled for her wand which she had foolishly left in her pocket. Harry similarly began to scramble for his wand.

Suddenly, Ginny was overcome with a strange feeling that she couldn't describe. Turning her head, she saw Fleur standing a few feet away, with a gentle breeze rippling her golden hair like wheat in a field. Previously, Ginny had very mixed feelings about the Delacour girl, but now she began to wonder how she could have ever thought badly of her. She was like a goddess: flawless! Ginny could only gape at her perfect, creamy skin and matchless features. Despair began to eat at her. How could she complete with a girl who possessed such incredible looks and a figure to die for? Harry would be stupid to look twice at her when he could have a beauty like Fleur. Her boyfriend would soon dump her and pursue the French girl, and Ginny wouldn't blame him in the slightest. Even her voice was like honey!

"Bill," Fleur said in a tone that could only be called angelic, "put down the ring. Would you do that for me, Bill?"

Bill stared at her in amazement, with his jaw hanging slack. He still clutched the ring in his hand, but he made no further attempt to put it on his finger.

"Bill, I will be _very_ happy if you put that ring down. Don't you love me anymore? Won't you do as I ask?" Fleur persisted.

With a vigorous nod, and wearing an expression that was a curious mix of lust, longing and bemusement, Bill dropped the ring back in the golden box from which it had come. Fleur seem to glide over to him, and slammed the lid of the box shut.

"Merlin! What the bloody hell just happened?" Harry exclaimed loudly, falling to his knees.

Ginny blinked. Where a few seconds before had stood a golden goddess, there now stood Fleur looking much as she did earlier in the day.

"Fleur? Did you just use your full Veela Charm on me?" Bill asked shakily. "You promised you would never do that!"

"Bill, you were about to put zat ring on your finger," Fleur scolded him. "Who knows what charms zat thing 'as on it!"

"You used your Veela Charm to overcome the Compulsion Charm on the ring!" Ginny exclaimed, her brain finally registering what had just happened.

"Oui, I did not 'av time to do anything else," she replied.

"That was bloody brilliant! You probably just saved Bill's life," Ginny said, her annoyance at being effected by the part-Veela's charm vanishing in a second.

"Shit, I didn't find anything when I tested that ring," Bill noted, looking badly shaken. "I dread to think what would have happened if I had put that thing on my finger!"

"So, you are not angry I used my charm on you?" Fleur asked with a note of challenge in her voice.

"Oh, hell, no! I'm sorry I got angry at you, I really didn't understand what was happening," Bill said apologetically.

"I feel like I've just been hit with a Bludger," Harry moaned. "I thought I was largely immune to Veelas, but that knocked me for six."

"Sorry, 'Arry, but I cannot control who is affected," Fleur apologised.

"Hell, even I was affected. I was convinced you were the most beautiful woman in the world and that I was just an ugly toad compared you," Ginny noted before frowning. "Actually, I still feel a bit like that."

Harry stood and took her in his arms. "I think you're the most beautiful woman in the world, Ginny," he assured her. "At least, when I'm not having my brains scrambled by some charm, I do."

"See, Ginny? Ze boy loves you. How could I compare with zat?" Fleur laughed.

"I think we'd better get this ring safely back to Grimmauld Place," Bill interrupted. "It seems to be contained within the box, but I don't want to handle it any longer than I have to. Let's put this place to rights and get the hell out of here."

They nodded in agreement and Bill quickly replaced the floorboards that he had previously Banished. Harry and Ginny took the box while Bill and Fleur replaced the Protective Charms around the run-down building. Ten minutes later, they were able to Apparate back to Grimmauld Place.

As they headed in through the front door, Bill took custody of the box once again.

"We've got a protected area set up in the cellar," he informed them. "We'll store the box down there until we're ready to destroy it."

"I'll come with you," Fleur decided. "We should always be in pairs around zat thing just to be safe."

"That's a good idea," Bill agreed and the two of them headed off towards the kitchen, from which the cellar could be accessed. They had barely left when Eva came charging into the hallway.

"Harry! Ginny! Thank heavens your back!" she cried in some distress.

"Eva, what's the matter?" Harry asked in alarm. Eva was not a woman to normally panic.

"It's Sirius," she sobbed. "He's slipped into a coma and Madam Pomfrey doesn't know what to do!"

Ginny stared at her in horror.


	6. Chapter 6 – Soul Asylum

**Chapter 6 – Soul Asylum**

**AN**

I've had a few comments regarding the dragon's venom that has been suggested could be used to destroy the Horcruxes in this story, and I feel I need to provide a bit of an explanation. In my mind, the dragons here are a weird mix of those in the 'Dragonlance' series of books, a cobra snake and a Soviet-era LPO-50 flame thrower (err… bear with me, here).

I envisage dragons keep their venom in a sack within their bodies, and they would be used primarily to aid digestion. When a dragon wants to breathe fire, however, they wouldn't literally spit flame. What the dragon would do is transfer this venom into its mouth and spit it out at high velocity. The venom, as well as being highly toxic, would also be extremely flammable and burst into flames as soon as it makes contact with anything. That's how it works in my head, anyway. If you don't like that then go find your own dragon to play with.

BTW, the conversation with Charlie comes from a question JK Rowling was asked about him. She confirmed he was definitely not gay, but might be asexual. I just wanted to have some fun with that idea.

The usual huge, squidgy thanks to Arnel for beta'ing this for me, despite having her own (excellent) story to post at the same time.

* * *

Ginny followed a reluctant Harry out of the private room at St Mungo's. It had been a week now and Sirius was showing no signs of improvement. They had just spent an agonising hour sitting by his bed while Eva clutched his hand in despair. A pang of guilt stabbed at Ginny at the relief she felt when they had to leave. Frankly, anything was better than watching Eva suffer in that way.

Leaving the room, the pair of them headed towards the reception area where they could use the Public Floo to travel to the Ministry. Although Sirius may have been incapacitated, the world still moved on and Harry had duties to perform. They exited the hospital in a sombre mood and stepped into a bustling Ministry Atrium with some trepidation.

"Hold on a second, Harry, you're covered in soot," Ginny noted and began to brush him down.

"If you start wiping my face with your hankie, I'm out of here," Harry smiled weakly, amused by her fussing.

"Oh, sweet Merlin, I'm starting to channel my mother, aren't I?" Ginny exclaimed in mock-horror. "Now be a good boy and smile nicely for the press."

"Yes, mum," Harry laughed.

Taking her hand, Harry led her towards the main auditorium, where the ceremony was scheduled to take place. On the way, they ran into a familiar face.

"Ah, there you are, Harry," Percy said as a way of greeting. "I was starting to get worried. Most of the other guests have already arrived."

"We were at St Mungo's, Percy," Harry said in a cool voice.

"Oh, is there any news?" Percy asked, slightly shamefaced.

"No, there's still no sign of Sirius coming out of the coma," Harry replied sadly. "It's just so weird; one second he was sitting up moaning about everything under the sun, the next he's completely unresponsive."

"The Healers did say that wasn't unusual with head injuries," Ginny pointed out. "Sirius is still strong and otherwise healthy. I'm sure he'll come out of it soon."

"We're all keeping our fingers crossed," Percy assured him. "Come on, Harry, I'm afraid you're needed on the stage. I've arranged that Ginny can sit next to you."

"Thanks, Percy," Ginny said warmly and gave her brother a quick hug. They followed him and were led around the edge of the crowded room until they reached the side of the raised stage. Percy indicated to the only two unoccupied seats left and then hurried away. With a nervous sigh, they made their way up the short flight of steps up onto the stage before taking their seats. Ginny couldn't help but notice the buzz that their arrival had caused.

As she sat down, she observed the wizard who sat next to her, a jowly, red-faced man with greying hair, eyeing her with obvious distaste. As she recalled, the man was one of Scrimgeour's main backers. Ginny just smiled absently at him, while vowing to ignore him for the rest of the afternoon. If he was stupid enough to risk upsetting the girl betrothed to Harry Potter, then he was stupider than he looked.

She didn't have long to ponder the man's rudeness, as seconds later Albus Dumbledore strode to the centre of the stage. A polite round of applause greeted him and he raised his hand to appeal for quiet.

"Ladies and Gentleman, thank you for coming today," Dumbledore began in a clear voice. "As I am sure you all know, the Ministry of Magic was recently forced to hold elections to appoint a new Minister following the impeachment of Cornelius Fudge on corruption charges. His trial will begin next Tuesday, coincidently, for those that wish to attend. To replace him, we have had two worthy candidates stand for election, and, truthfully, we could not hope for two more up-right, distinguished contenders. We are gathered here today to announce the results of the recent vote undertaken by the Wizengamot, and to welcome our new Minister for Magic."

Enthusiastic applause thundered around the room at this point. Everyone gathered, from the heads of prominent families to the assembled journalists and assorted Ministry officials, were eager to learn who had won the vote and how it would affect their lives.

"If I could ask the two candidates to join me on the stage," Dumbledore continued. "Please, everyone, welcome Amelia Bones and Rufus Scrimgeour."

Applause rang out for a third time as the two contenders made their way onto the stage. Ginny couldn't help but notice that Scrimgeour looked in a foul mood. Probably with good reason, she thought happily.

The rival candidates stood either side of Dumbledore with bland expressions on their faces. With a dramatic flourish, he produced an envelope from within his robes and held it out for everyone to see.

"I have here the results of the vote by the Wizengamot," he proclaimed dramatically. "Without further ado, I will announce those results."

"Old ham," Harry muttered quietly, causing Ginny to snigger. She must have been a little too loud as Madam Bones turned to look at her with a disapproving stare. Ginny was immediately silent.

In the meantime, Dumbledore had opened the envelope he had been holding and removed a slip of paper from inside. He stared at it for a moment.

"It appears we have a runaway winner," he announced. "With no less than eighty-seven per cent of the vote, may a present to you your new Minister for Magic: Amelia Bones!"

The room immediately burst into rapturous applause. While clapping vigorously, Harry leaned over to Ginny.

"Wow, that was a much higher percentage of the vote than we were expecting," he whispered in her ear.

"Yeah, a lot of Scrimgeour's support must have deserted him when they realised he was heading for defeat," she replied.

The noise began to drop as Madam Bones took centre stage.

"Thank you, thank you, one and all," she began. "I must confess that this appointment is something of a shock to me…"

"Yeah, right," Ginny sniggered quietly only to receive a poke from Harry.

"…as I never once imagined myself in the role of Minister. Indeed, it was only comparatively recently that I was persuaded to stand for election, at all. I would like to take a moment to thank my opponent for running a fair and worthy race, and that I hope to work with him closely in the coming months."

Bones offered her hand to Scrimgeour who shook it with a gracious smile on his face. Only those very close to him could see how forced his expression actually was.

"Witches and wizards, we are facing difficult times," Bones continued as Scrimgeour slunk off the stage. "The previous Minister has apparently been found to be a desperately corrupt man, but I have little doubt that our problems do not begin and end at his door. Indeed, not only has his closest advisor and campaign contributor been recently revealed to be an unrepentant Death Eater, but his Under Secretary was just a few months ago discovered to be an evil, bigoted woman who delighted in the torture of others. What other dark secrets will be revealed within the walls of this Ministry, I wonder?"

A murmur went through the assembled crowd. Quite a few of the senior Ministry officials present looked decidedly uncomfortable.

"In my first act as Minister, I intend to launch a sweeping investigation into corruption within the Ministry. Far too many of the public's hard earned Galleons are ending up in the pockets of dishonest officials and petty pen-pushers. From this point onwards, the Ministry will have a zero tolerance policy for bribery and corruption. I have already selected a team to be headed by one of the Ministry's rising stars, Percy Weasley, and under his leadership, they will investigate every corner of the Ministry with a mandate to make this organisation a fair and honest place. Nothing will be shoved under the carpet, and the press will have full access to the team's findings."

A large proportion of the audience stood and cheered at this point. Ginny made a careful note of those that seemed reluctant to join in with the applause. She'd pass those names onto her brother.

"We are also plagued with problems inherited from our past. In the last year, we have suffered several terrorist attacks, the most recent within these very walls; all perpetrated by the former followers of the Dark Lord, namely, the group known as Death Eaters. While the previous administration were happy to accept the excuse that many of this group were acting against their will under the Imperius Curse, we now know that any Death Eater bearing the mark of their former Lord did so willingly, and are therefore accountable for their crimes. I hereby declare that anyone bearing a Dark Mark is an enemy of the state and must immediately hand themselves into the Ministry for questioning or face arrest. Any attempt to avoid surrendering to the Ministry will be met with the harshest of penalties. There are no exceptions to this rule. All former Death Eaters have until midnight on Tuesday to surrender themselves or they will be considered fugitives from justice and be hunted down. We will also be conducting random checks of all public workers to check for Dark Marks."

The crowd went wild at this announcement and it was clear that most people present appreciated having a no-nonsense Minister who was finally going to tackle terrorism once and for all. Not everyone was so pleased, however.

"Look at Dumbledore's face!" Ginny sniggered. "I don't think he liked the 'no exceptions' rule."

"It's not for him to decide who should be pardoned or not," Harry snorted. "Snape will have to justify his actions before the law. If he's found wanting, then tough!"

"I'd pay good money to hear what Snape has to say when he finds out about this, though," Ginny sniggered. "I bet he finds a way to blame it all on you."

"Well, he'd be partially right, wouldn't he?" Harry asked with grim satisfaction. "I did campaign for Amelia quite hard, not to mention Sirius's money paid for the whole operation. Shame he isn't here to see it for himself."

Ginny noted Harry's previous good mood begin to slip at the mention of his godfather. He'd been at Sirius's bedside nearly constantly during the last week, and clearly the stress was beginning to tell on him. Harry needed to relax a little and forget his troubles, for one night at least.

"You know, there's a celebration party after this is over. I'm sure Amelia will be expecting you to attend," Ginny began.

"I don't feel like it," Harry snapped petulantly. Ginny sighed.

"Harry, what's Sirius's favourite saying?" she asked.

"Never lick your balls in a public place?" Harry suggested hesitantly.

"No, the other one," Ginny said in exasperation. "The more human related one."

"Oh, I remember: never turn down a free drink. That was it, wasn't it?" he said brightly.

"Exactly. There's bound to be gallons of free wine at this bash and I think we should see how much of it we can drink before anyone remembers that we're underage," she smirked.

"Actually, that sounds like a good idea," Harry admitted.

"And once we've had enough schmoozing, I suggest we head back to Grimmauld Place and have a little private celebration of our own; clothing optional," she whispered seductively.

"That sounds like an even better idea," he grinned.

Ginny slipped her hand into his and waited patiently for Madam Bones to finish her speech. It was high time they both blew off a bit of steam, and she was definitely up for it. It was just as well she had decided to wear some of her sexiest underwear today. Just in case, of course.

HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP

"Ach! This damn door requires a blood sacrifice for it to open! Stupidity!" Eva cursed.

She was cursing a lot at the moment. The emotional torture of sitting next to Sirius's bed had eventually been too much for her, and she'd insisted on coming with them to retrieve the next Horcrux. As this one looked particularly tricky to get to, they had readily agreed.

"I'll do it, Eva," Bill offered. "I've spilt blood a few times in the past to get round the odd curse. Once more won't make any difference."

"Non, you will 'av to deal with ze traps in there. I will do 'it," Fleur disagreed.

"You'll have to help with those traps," Harry pointed out. "I'll do it."

The three of them were silenced when Eva, pointedly ignoring them all, removed a knife from her robes and cut her hand open. She let the blood drip onto a seemingly unremarkable rock and shortly afterwards a silvery outline of an arch appeared on the bare, stone wall. A second later, the rock vanished leaving an opening.

"Well, that saves me from coming up with an excuse not to cut myself," Ginny smirked.

The group lit their wands and followed Eva, who had already passed through the opening. Although Ginny had been warned that a large lake awaited them beyond, she was surprised at the sheer size of it.

"Is that green light in the distance the island?" Bill asked. "It's a lot further away than I was expecting."

"Indeed," Eva confirmed absently. "The boat used to travel to the island is over to our right, about twenty metres away. We will, of course, ignore it and use our brooms."

At her words, the group all reached into their robes and withdrew small pieces of wood. With a tap of their wands, the shrunken brooms all returned to normal size. They mounted them and quickly pushed off from the ground.

"Keep you wands lit and stay together," Eva ordered. "As long as you follow me you'll be completely safe. If you start veering off, however, you'll be likely to run into all sorts of traps. Stick to me like glue!"

With that, Eva coxed her broom into a sharp turn and started off on an irregular route towards the green glow in the distance.

Ginny couldn't help but think that Eva looked strange on a broom. She simply wasn't built for flying and her weight distribution must have made steering a tricky task. Nevertheless, the German witch seemed to fairly competent in the air and didn't encounter any problems following the erratic course she had set.

After about five minutes flying, a small island came into sight. It was completely bare, apart from a pedestal upon which sat a stone basin from which emanated the source of the greenish light. They all landed gently on the dark rock and placed their brooms on the ground, ready should they need to make a quick exit.

"I think Fleur and I are up next," Bill declared, pulling his wand from his robes. Fleur copied his actions, and soon the pair were circling the basin while casting various spells at it.

"It is safe," Fleur declared after a few minutes.

The group crowded round the basin and Ginny got her first good look at it. It was filled with a glowing green liquid which was emitting an eerie glow.

"Right, let's get rid of that green muck, shall we?" Bill said determinedly before kneeling in front of the pedestal. He began to run his hands up and down it until an audible click was heard. "Ah, here we go!" he declared.

A stone panel came away in Bill's hands revealing a hidden compartment in which was housed a small wheel. Bill quickly turned the wheel and instantly the green liquid began to drain out of the basin.

"These things nearly always have a simple way in," Bill explained knowledgably. "The builders generally create a method so that they can get in easily."

"It looks like Voldemort's no different," Harry agreed. "If he ever needed to retrieve his Horcrux in a hurry, this would be a quick way to do it."

"Yeah, and most wizards and witches would never think to look for something so simple," Ginny agreed.

"There, I can see the locket now," Eva declared. "Harry, I think you'd better pick it up."

Harry moved forward to pick take the locket from the bottom of the basin when suddenly Eva held up her hand.

"Wait, Harry," she said. "The locket, it looks wrong!"

"What do you mean?" Harry asked.

"That's not the same locket that I saw in Voldemort's memories," Eva declared. "It's smaller, for a start, and this doesn't have the 'S' marking on it."

Frowning, Harry reached out his hand and scooped the locket up. At just his touch, the locket sprang open.

"What's that inside it?" Eva asked, clearly confused.

"A piece of parchment," Harry replied unfolding it. He read what was written on it out loud.

_To the Dark Lord_

_I know I will be dead long before you read this but I want you to know that it was I who discovered your secret._

_I have stolen the real Horcrux and intend to destroy it as soon as I can._

_I face death in the hope that when you meet your match, you will be mortal once more._

_R.A.B._

"R.A.B?" Ginny repeated. "Who the hell is that?"

"It does not matter for the moment. All that matters is that we have made a dark and dangerous trip for nothing," Eva said in disgust.

"Yeah, let's head home and worry about this there," Harry agreed.

Pausing only to refill the basin, the group made their disgruntled way out of the cavern.

HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP

It was several hours later before the wet, tired and dispirited group arrived back at Grimmauld Place. They were met by Remus who immediately sensed that the trip had not gone well, and ushered them into the warm kitchen.

Once they were seated, they liberally cast Drying Charms on each other and Dobby whipped up a small mountain of bacon sandwiches and a pot of steaming tea to revive them. Eva, who had taken possession of the key to Sirius's drinks cabinet, decided a medicinal glass of Firewhisky was in order, and a bottle of Blishen's thirty-nine year old blend was placed on the table. Everyone generously laced their tea with it while Harry explained to Remus what had happened.

"So, basically, we've had a completely wasted trip and now we have no idea what happened to the locket," Harry concluded after his explanation.

"Well, we do at least have something to start working from," Remus pointed out. "R.A.B… for some reason it rings a bell, but I can't put my finger on who it could be."

"Perhaps zis person 'as already destroyed ze locket?" Fleur ventured.

"Maybe, but this is not something we can take a chance on," Eva pointed out. "We have to find out who this person is and ensure that the locket has been dealt with."

"It has to have been someone close to Voldemort," Ginny suggested as she finished off her second sandwich. "How else would they have known about the Horcruxes?"

"I think that's a valid assessment, Ginny," Remus agreed. "I'll start researching possible candidates immediately."

"In the meantime, are we still going to take care of the ring like we planned?" Harry asked.

"I don't see why not," Ginny said. "It will be good to see Charlie again, anyway."

"Hang-fire on visiting Romania for a few days," Bill interrupted. "Fleur and I think we've figured out a way to access the Lestrange Family vault."

"Okay, but be careful. If the goblins catch you breaking into a customer's vault you'll be dead meat," Ginny advised.

"You don't have to tell me, sis," Bill smiled grimly. "I've seen first-hand what those vicious little buggers do to thieves."

"If there's the slightest risk, leave it. We'll just figure out another way to get to the cup." Harry insisted.

"Don't worry, my future brother-in-law," Bill grinned. "I think we've got this covered."

"Oui, we will not do anyzing to put ourselves in danger. After all, you and Ginny 'av to come to our wedding next year," Fleur added.

"I hope it's not as messy as Sirius and Eva's," Harry laughed.

"Oh, I don't know. I thoroughly enjoyed myself at that wedding," Ginny smirked.

"Yeah, now you come to mention it, it was a lot of fun, wasn't it," Harry grinned.

"Maybe, but at our wedding you two will NOT be getting up to anything under the tables," Bill warned them with a disapproving expression on his face.

"Spoilsport," Ginny pouted, before blowing a raspberry at her brother.

HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP

"Just how many sets of stairs are there in this place?" Eva grumbled as she wearily made her way onto the landing.

"That was the last one," Harry assured her. "This is the seventh floor."

"Thank Merlin!" she puffed. Ginny grinned affectionately at her. If there was ever a woman not designed for climbing stairs, it was Eva.

"We just need to go down here to the left," Harry assured the tired witch. "It's just a bit further down this corridor."

"You know, you could have stayed at Hagrid's hut," Ginny pointed out. "You didn't need to come with us."

"Yeah, you could have enjoyed some more of his rock cakes. They're great!" Harry smirked evilly.

"I don't think so," Eva said in a no-nonsense fashion. "Whenever you two start insisting that you should be alone, it generally means you're feeling randy. We're here to collect a Horcrux, and I don't want your carnal lust distracting you from an important task."

"Do you have carnal lust for me, Harry?" Ginny asked teasingly.

"Oh, absolutely. Whenever I possibly can," Harry grinned.

"You've definitely been spending too much time with Sirius," Eva muttered darkly.

The mention of Sirius sobered them up and focused them on the task in hand. After their failure to secure the locket Horcrux, they had decided that Ginny, Eva and Harry would attempt to retrieve Ravenclaw's Diadem, while Bill and Fleur attempted to remove Hufflepuff's Cup from the Lestrange vault at Gringotts.

They had decided today would be a good day to travel to Hogwarts as they had received word from Madam Bones that Dumbledore would be tied up in meetings with the Wizengamot all day. It had been a simple matter to convince Hagrid to let them into the castle on the pretence of Harry wanting to show his new godmother around the school. In fact, Hagrid had seemed a bit taken with Eva and had blushed deeply whenever she spoke to him.

Ginny pushed the image of a shy and embarrassed Hagrid from her mind as they stopped beside the familiar tapestry of Barnabas the Barmy and his dancing trolls. Harry paced backwards and forwards three times, muttering to himself, and immediately a door appeared in the previously blank wall. They hurried inside.

"Do you know exactly where the diadem is, Eva?" Ginny asked.

"Not precisely," she replied. "A lot has changed in here since Riddle hid it. He originally placed it next to a cupboard which he disfigured with acid to make it more distinctive, but there's no saying it's still in the same place."

"Well, we can only look. Where is this cupboard?" Harry wanted to know.

"Down the centre corridor, then we need to look for a large, stuffed troll and turn right at that point. After that, we need to find a Vanishing Cabinet and take a left there," Eva instructed.

"Oh, I know where that cabinet is!" Ginny exclaimed. "Fred and George stuffed that prat Montague in it last term, remember?"

"I remember them telling me about it," Harry confirmed. "Lead on, Miss Weasley."

It took only a few minutes to find the cabinet, and just seconds to find the marked cupboard after that. They were delighted to find, sitting innocently on a pile of books next to the cupboard, a tarnished tiara that was their prize.

"Now this does look like the object Riddle left," Eva confirmed.

"This is it. I can virtually feel the evil coming from it," Harry said grimly.

"Let's grab it and get out of here," Ginny insisted and pulled a sack from her pocket that had been charmed to nullify the Horcrux's powers. It wasn't one hundred per cent effective, but it was better than nothing.

Harry grabbed the diadem and quickly dropped it in the bag. They turned and silently made their way out of the Room of Requirement and towards the main staircase. It wasn't until they were approaching the main doors that anyone spoke.

"Once we get off the school grounds, I'll see you two safely back to Grimmauld Place and then head back to St Mungo's," Eva announced.

"I'll come, too," Harry suggested.

"Harry, if it's alright with you, I'd like to spend some time there alone with Sirius. I know you're as worried about him as I am, but I'd really appreciate it if it could just be me and him," Eva requested, concern written all over her face.

"Oh… um, of course," Harry replied quickly. "You take all the time you want. I can visit him tomorrow. In fact, you don't need to see us home. You could go straight to the hospital."

"Thank you," Eva said warmly, placing a hand on his shoulder. "Nevertheless, I will accompany you home. I know Sirius would want me to watch over you while he's not able to."

For a second she looked hesitant.

"Harry," she began, "I know that you don't think of Sirius as a father figure exactly, but he has always felt that it's his responsibility to fill that role. I just want you to know that if anything happens to Sirius that I will willingly step into the job as your guardian and do my best to look after you as well as I can."

"Don't say that. Sirius will get better," Harry insisted. "Not that I don't appreciate the gesture. You've been wonderful to me, Eva, and I'd love to keep on living with you. You're right in saying that I don't think of you quite like parents, but you and Sirius have been the next best thing. I do love you, you know."

Eva gasped and pulled Harry into a crushing hug.

"Oh, and I love you, too, Harry, just as if you were my own son. I'll always be here for you, I promise," Eva sobbed.

"And I'm here for you," Harry replied with a noticeable wobble in his speech. "Once Sirius gets better, we'll be a proper family."

"Yes, yes we will," Eva agreed with a wide smile on her face.

Ginny watched them with her own eyes moistening. If there was ever two people who deserved a loving family, it was Harry and Eva.

"And I mustn't forget my future daughter-in-law," Eva grinned, turning towards Ginny. "You're a part of this family, too."

Ginny stepped forwards and accepted a hug from Eva, and this time was unable to stop a tear running down her cheek.

"Merlin, I hate crying," she said, angrily wiping the side of her face.

"Me, too. It's not really in my nature," Eva agreed. "Come on, let's get you two home. Hopefully, Bill and Fleur will have returned by now."

They turned and hurried out of the main door, eager to see if another Horcrux had been secured.

HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP

They entered the kitchen to find Bill and Fleur had beaten them back. The grins on their faces suggested things had gone well for them.

"Well?" Harry asked without ceremony as soon as he caught sight of them.

"One Horcrux, safely delivered!" Bill boasted, dumping a bag similar to the one Ginny held in her hands on the table.

"Let's just make sure this is the real cup," Eva said cautiously. "We don't want another incident like the locket."

Bill gingerly unfastened the bag and pulled it open. There, sitting on the table, was a small, golden cup with a badger clearly engraved on the side. Eva bent down and examined it closely.

"Hmm, it certainly seems to be the genuine article. Harry?" she asked, turning to her godson.

"It's a Horcrux," he replied shortly. "I can feel it from here."

"Cover it back up, Bill," Eva instructed, "and congratulations."

"Brilliant! Well done, you two," Ginny added enthusiastically. "How did you manage to get it out of the Lestrange vault?"

"By stealth, cunning and our sheer genius, my dear sister," Bill smiled. "Oh, course, it helped that we waited until the goblins were undertaking their annual audit."

"Oui, ze audit is just like Christmas for ze goblins," Fleur explained. "It iz when zey calculate ze net worth of Gringotts and work out 'ow much profit zey 'av made. It iz a great honour to be involved."

"Yeah, they were all so busy running around conducting stocktakes and counting coins that they let security get a bit lax," Bill confirmed. "Of course, unless you were an actual employee of Gringotts it wouldn't have done you much good, but it did allow us some unsupervised time outside the Lestrange vault, at least."

"How did you get into the vault, though?" Harry asked. "It must have been protected, surely?"

"Oh, it was, and by a large number of very nasty traps, I should add. The goblins don't trust humans one little bit and every vault in the bank is heavily warded against us. Unfortunately for them, they forgot one little thing," Bill said smugly.

"What's that?" Ginny asked curiously.

"That Fleur isn't totally human," Bill grinned.

"I 'av enough Veela blood in me zat I did not trigger most of ze wards on ze vault," Fleur said smiling.

"We really should point that little loophole out to our dear employers, shouldn't we?" Bill laughed.

"Oui, but perhaps not just at ze minute," Fleur smirked.

"Well, we managed to pick up the diadem without any difficulties," Harry announced.

"That means we have three of the bloody things sitting here now. You know what I'm thinking, brother dear?" Ginny asked Bill.

"What's that, my little pumpkin?" Bill responded.

"I think it's high time that we paid a visit to our absent, dragon-worshipping brother," Ginny announced.

"Absolutely," Bill agreed, "and I'll bet the git still hasn't got a girlfriend."

HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP

"Charlie, you big lug! How are you?" Bill said exuberantly, pulling his shorter brother into a hug.

"I'm great! Still wearing your hair like a girl are you?" Charlie replied with a grin.

"I 'appen to think it iz very sexy," Fleur interjected. "Hello, Charlie. Nice to see you again."

"Ah, Fleur! How are you? Is my idiot brother treating you well?" Charlie asked.

"Oui, he is a complete gentleman," she replied, smiling at her boyfriend.

"Bloody hell, that doesn't sound much like the Bill I know," Charlie smirked. "Why, I remember this one girl he…"

"Oi, are you just going to ignore your only sister, or what?" Ginny grumbled.

"What? Oh, you're here too, are you, Ginny? You're so short I never noticed you down there," Charlie laughed before stepping over to hug her.

"Git," she mumbled, but returned his embrace.

In truth, Charlie was the most distant of all her brothers, and not just in geographical terms. He was nearly ten years older than she and, unlike Bill, he'd never really made the effort to spend much time with her when they were younger. Charlie had always had an aversion to being indoors and had spent most of his spare time roaming the countryside around the Burrow, normally in the company of his schoolmates. As soon as he'd graduated from Hogwarts, he'd been off and he wasn't a frequent visitor back home. Not that Ginny wasn't fond of him, she just wasn't that close to him, that was all.

"Hello, Harry," Charlie said coolly. "What's all this I hear about you being betrothed to my sister?"

"Don't even think of playing the over-protective big brother," Ginny warned him before Harry could reply. "Mum and Dad are happy with the arrangement, as are all the others. Needless to say, I'm VERY happy with it, so if you start giving Harry a hard time you'll find yourself picking bogies out of your hair for a month."

"Better do as she says, bro," Bill laughed. "If you think she was a handful last time your saw her, you haven't seen anything yet!"

"Trust me, Charlie, both Ginny and I are very happy to be betrothed, and we're both thoroughly looking forward to being married in the future," Harry said defiantly. "I hope that's not going to cause a problem between us, but if it does, I'm more than happy for us to go and find a quiet spot to sort it out."

Charlie looked at him in surprise. "Blimey, the last time I saw you, you were a skinny little wimp that was in danger of falling over in a stiff breeze. Now look at you. You're taller than me and have got a big, brassy set of balls to match!"

"While you are quite right to be afraid of Ginny, you should be afraid of 'Arry, too," Fleur laughed. "Ee would knock ze stuffing out of you, non?"

Charlie stared in astonishment at Harry for a moment, before sighing. "Well, if Ginny's happy then I'm happy, too. Welcome to the family, Harry," he said offering his hand to shake.

Harry enthusiastically shook Charlie's hand with a wide grin on his face. Ginny just winked at her intended, happy that he'd not stood for any nonsense from her brother.

"So, talking of weddings, any chance that we might see you walking down the aisle with a girl on your arm? Mum's getting worried that you don't seem to have anyone," Bill teased.

"No, I'm perfectly happy to be single, thank you," Charlie said adamantly.

"You know, it doesn't even have to be a girl you marry," Bill suggested. "The Wizarding world is very progressive these days."

"Oh, don't you start! Every time I see you, Bill, you start with this 'admit you're gay' stuff," Charlie moaned.

"Are you?" Harry questioned carefully.

"Am I what?" Charlie asked in confusion.

"Gay?" Harry clarified.

Charlie glared at him for a moment before turning bright red. "No, I am not bloody gay!" he bellowed. "Why does everyone come out with this crap?"

"Oh, I don't know. It could be that you haven't had a girlfriend since you left Hogwarts," Bill pointed out.

"And you wear all zat tight dragon-skin clothing. Zat is very suspect," Fleur added.

"And you do spend all your time here in the Romania wilderness with only the company of rugged, macho men," Ginny pointed out.

"I AM NOT…" Charlie began to yell before stopping himself. He took a deep breath and continued at a more reasonable volume. "I can assure you all that I'm not gay. I just love my work, and it's more important to me right now than being in a relationship. Trust me, if I find the right GIRL I will reassess that. Okay?"

"If you say so, mate," Bill chortled.

"Right. Good. Great. Now, I meant to ask you earlier, is there any word about Ron?" Charlie asked, desperately trying to calm down.

Ginny swallowed guiltily, but Harry reached over and grabbed her hand and squeezed it reassuringly. She smiled at him gratefully.

"No, not a thing," Bill responded. "We did wonder if he was making his way over here to see you, but I guess not."

"Nope, I've not seen a peep out of him," Charlie confirmed. "What about Mum's clock, what does that say?"

"Well, that's the odd thing. It started out as 'lost' before it moved to 'travelling', but then, about a week ago, it changed to 'home'. Mum went mad and tore the Burrow apart but couldn't find hide nor hair of him. If he is home, then it looks like he's found another place to lay his hat."

"I didn't know he had a hat," Charlie said in a puzzled tone.

"It's a figure of speech, dumb-dumb," Bill growled.

"Oh, err, I see. Anyway, now we've got that out of the way, can you please tell me why you're here?" Charlie pleaded. "Not that I'm not pleased to see you all, but that message you sent me was a bit mysterious."

"Ah, I didn't make myself very clear, did I?" Bill agreed. "You see, Charlie, we've been helping Harry clear out his godfather's house which was once the home of a family of pretty Dark wizards. As it could well be Ginny's home, too, one day, we've been pretty thorough in going over the place."

"Yeah, the Blacks were a pretty unpleasant bunch, and the place was riddled with Dark magic items," Harry said, continuing their cover story. "During our search, we found several items that were totally evil, but defied our attempts to destroy them."

"What has this got to do with me?" Charlie asked in confusion.

"Well, since these items couldn't be eradicated by normal means, we figured we needed something a bit more destructive. After putting our heads together, we came to the conclusion that you can't get much more destructive than dragon venom," Bill explained.

"Ah, I getcha now," Charlie confirmed with a nod. "You'd like one of our dragon's to take care of these items for you."

"Yeah, we can never get anything past you, can we, Charlie," Ginny said, rolling her eyes.

"Oi, do you want me to feed you to the dragons, too?" Charlie huffed. "Mind you, you're so tiny I don't think you'd even count as a snack."

"Charming," Ginny replied, although her voice was filled with amusement.

"Can you arrange this?" Bill asked insistently.

"Yeah, no problem," Charlie confirmed with a wave of his hand. "We regularly have to ensure that all our dragons have their venom sacks emptied out, anyway. We've got a Common Welsh Green who needs to be drained soon. She's nesting at the moment and she's getting a bit feisty."

"How do you drain the venom out of a dragon?" Harry asked in fascination.

"Simple, we conjure up the image of a rival dragon nearby and imitate its cries. Tabitha, our Welsh Green, will almost instinctively attack the image to protect her eggs. I know it sounds dangerous, but, trust me, this is the safest way to ensure that our dragons use up their venom," Charlie explained.

"Tabitha? That's a nice name," Harry smiled.

"Yeah, she's a big softy, is Tabitha. She's one of my favourites," Charlie said fondly.

Ginny strongly suspected that her brother's definition of a 'big softy' was radically different to hers.

"Come on, Tabitha's nest is on the other side of the reserve. We've got a bit of a hike to get there," Charlie declared and immediately set off down a narrow path that led away from the entrance of the reserve. One by one, the rest of them fell into line behind him.

They walked at a fast pace for over twenty minutes and Ginny found herself breathing heavily by the time they stopped. She'd been told on her last trip here when she was younger that dragons were distrustful of the distinct popping noise that Apparation made and the handlers here refrained from using that method of transport, but she hadn't really thought about what that would entail. She mentally chastised herself for being so lazy.

"Here we are," Charlie declared, pointing to an enclosure that encompassed a large, open space with a large pool of water set off to one side. The enclosure was surrounded on two sides by a steep rock face, and set into the far side was the opening of a cave. Ginny assumed the dragon was inside the cave at present.

"What I suggest we do is place your items against the far wall over there, and then I'll cast an Imitation Charm which will mimic the mating call of another female Welsh. Tabitha is bound to come charging out of her cave and I'll then cast an Illusion Charm over whatever it is you want destroyed. Then we just sit back and let our girl take care of it. That okay?" Charlie asked.

"Sounds like a great plan," Bill agreed.

"Great, hand over those items and I'll place them against the wall," Charlie said with his hand outstretched.

"Ah, no. We really don't think you should be handling these objects," Bill told him. "Is it okay if I just Levitate them over to the right place while they're still in their protective bag?"

"I guess so," Charlie confirmed a bit hesitantly. "Just how dangerous are these things, anyway?"

"Bloody dangerous," Bill confirmed, "and bloody tough, too. But don't worry; we're certain that your dragons' venom will destroy them without any problems."

"Okay, if you're sure," Charlie replied suspiciously, "but there better not be any fall-back from this. Is this something for the Order, or something?"

"Sort of," Bill confirmed.

"Why didn't Mum or Dad come with you, then?" Charlie asked, obviously becoming rather distrusting about the whole thing, suddenly.

"Charlie, Fleur and I are two highly rated Curse Breakers. Do you really think there would be anyone better than us two to take care of this?" Bill replied in exasperation.

"What about those two?" Charlie persisted, jabbing his thumb at Harry and Ginny.

"Oh, we're just along for the ride," Harry said quickly. "I really wanted to see this sanctuary after everything Ginny had told me about it, and she wanted an excuse to visit you. She misses you, you know."

"Yeah, you're hardly ever around these days," Ginny moaned, secretly impressed with her boyfriend's ever improving lying ability.

"Aw, I'm sorry, Gin-Gin," Charlie said sorrowfully. "It's just I'm always so busy here, and I always get such grief from Mum when I come home. I guess I have been avoiding the Burrow a bit lately."

"Mum's not a tyrant, you know," Ginny told him. "I'm sure if you sat down and really told her how much you love your job she'd listen. She's just worried about you, you know."

"Yeah, mind you, if you'd get yourself a girlfriend she'd worry less," Bill teased.

"Will you drop that, already?" Charlie snarled.

"Sorry, my rugged bachelor-boy of a brother," Bill laughed. "Now, were do you want me to put these items?"

"Over against that far wall," Charlie replied sourly. "You can just make out the scorch marks."

"Ah, yes," Bill confirmed and pulled out his wand. Fleur and Ginny both pulled small knapsacks off their backs and upended them in front of Bill. Three tightly-wrapped packages fell from them.

"Stand back," Bill instructed and began to Levitate the objects into the enclosure. As soon as he began, Ginny heard a sharp hiss from behind her and she turned to see Harry pressing his hand to his forehead in pain.

"Are you okay?" she asked quietly, trying not to attract Charlie's attention while he was busy watching the items floating towards the far wall.

"Just about," Harry growled through clenched teeth. "The protective bags help, and my Occlumency does, too, but those pissing Horcruxes know that's something's going on. They're trying to fight back."

"Hang on, Harry, it will soon be over," Ginny assured him, grabbing his hand. She could feel him grip her fingers tightly and she suspected that he was in a lot of pain.

"That's the spot," Charlie confirmed to his brother who unceremoniously dumped the bags on the ground, right against the far wall. "Okay, I'll mimic the call of a Welsh Green, now. You might want to cover your ears as it's quite loud."

Charlie waved his wand and a loud, strangely melodic, roar filled the air. Ginny could literally feel the ground move under her feet as her brother repeated the cry. A second later, the call was matched by an equally thunderous bellow that emitted from somewhere in the cave. It echoed around the surrounding hills for a long while.

"Get ready," Charlie called, "that was the answering challenge. Tabitha has just made it clear that this area is hers and that she'll attack anyone who gets near. One more call should do it, I think."

With a further wave of his wand, the mournful, melodious roar sounded again. Ginny strained her eyes and was sure she could see movement from inside the dark depths of the cave, and a second later she caught sight of a green snout peeking out, sniffing the air.

"Here we go; show time!" Charlie chortled happily and thrust his wand forward before performing a sharp, diagonal slash in the air. The air above the hidden Horcruxes began to shimmer, and a moment later a huge green dragon, at least eighteen feet long, appeared out of nowhere and began to scratch at the ground in front of it with its front claws.

"Wow, zat looks exactly like ze dragon I competed against in ze Tournament!" Fleur exclaimed.

"It is the dragon you competed against," Charlie confirmed. "An exact image of it, anyway."

The sight of the rival dragon was enough to enrage Tabitha. She exploded out of her cave and leapt a good fifteen feet towards the imaginary dragon. Tabitha reared up on her hind legs and spread her massive wings, bellowing in ferocious anger. Ginny couldn't help but feel terror at the sight of the angry beast, and was rather glad she hadn't let go of Harry's hand. How on earth had he had the balls to face an even bigger dragon than this one?

The imaginary dragon bellowed an answering cry and reared up on its back legs, too. This seemed to drive poor Tabitha into a frenzy and venom drool began to drip down the side of her mouth.

"That's it! She's transferring venom from her sacks to her mouth. She's getting ready to…" Charlie began but he was cut off as a narrow jet of molten liquid shot from Tabitha's mouth at her hated rival. Ginny could feel the heat of it from where she was standing and the noxious stench almost made her gag. The jet of fire hit the image squarely and the venom seemed explode in a tremendous, green-tinted fireball.

"…strike," Charlie finished lamely, although his eyes were shinning with wonder at the sight before him. "I never get tired of watching that," he muttered.

"Bloody Nora," Bill gasped.

"Merde! Zey made me face zat thing? I was lucky!" Fleur gulped in horror.

"Yeah, they made sure that the dragons that took part had their venom sacks nearly emptied beforehand," Charlie advised.

A small shuddering gasp instantly made Ginny look over at Harry. He appeared pale and sweating, and was blinking rapidly.

"Are you alright?" she asked anxiously. "Did the Hor… err, I mean, those objects affect you in any way?"

"They're gone," Harry whispered in awe. "I could actually feel them die. They screamed and fought just like Riddle's image did back in the Chamber, but they had nowhere to go. I literally felt them melt into nothing!"

"Then we've done it? They're gone forever?" Ginny exclaimed, joy building in her.

"Yeah, just the locket to go, now," Harry confirmed, a smile creeping onto his lips.

Unable to restrain herself, Ginny flew into his arms. She pressed her lips against his enthusiastically while crushing him to her.

"Oi! Not on the reserve! That sort of behaviour upsets the dragons!" Charlie yelled angrily.

"Oh, yeah! Me snogging my bloke is really going to upset a bloody dragon!" Ginny snorted after tearing her lips from Harry's. "Look, Tabitha's going back into her cave! She couldn't give a toss what we're up to!"

"Well, stop it, anyway. I really don't need to see you doing that, Ginny," Charlie huffed.

"Don't look then," she snapped, angry that her Horcrux-destruction celebration had been so rudely interrupted.

"Come on, let's head back to the main complex. After all that excitement, I could really do with a drink," Bill announced.

"Yeah, okay," Charlie agreed before starting to head back down the path. "Actually, the canteen will be open by now so we can get a beer."

"Ah, you get to drink at eleven o'clock in the morning, do you? I wondered why you liked spending so much time out here," Bill laughed.

"Hey, we're in the middle of the Carpathian Mountains, what else is there to do?" he sniggered and led Bill and Fleur back down the path. Ginny paused a second and watched her brother for a moment before turning to Harry.

"What do you think then?" she asked.

"Gay, definitely," Harry confirmed.

"Yeah, I agree," she sniggered before they both hurried after the others.

HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP

"That is it, it's finished," Eva announced, climbing to her feet.

Ginny looked around nervously. The magical energy lines of the pentagram were clearly visible in the dim light of the forest clearing. It appeared to have been cast perfectly, with the point drawn towards the exact direction in which the mid-day sun would reach its zenith. A further circle was drawn within the pentagram and they would be entering the protective ring in just a few moments.

"How long?" Harry asked nervously whilst fiddling with his lose-fitting robes.

Eva made a swishing motion with her wand and peered at the fiery numbers that had appeared in the air in front of her.

"Just about five minutes," she replied. "You two better get into the circle now. I'll bring the elixir over to you."

Taking a deep breath, Ginny stepped into the circle making sure that she didn't disrupt the outline of it. Harry mimicked her, taking an exaggerated step as he entered. A second later, Eva stretched out her hand and passed them each a goblet containing a dark red liquid that smelled faintly of raspberries. Harry sniffed it appreciatively.

"This stuff actually smells great," he enthused. "This is the first time I've ever drunk a potion that didn't taste foul."

"It's meant to be a catalyst to your souls joining and you basking in the glory of everlasting love, Harry," Eva sighed. "It could hardly taste of rat dropping or something if it's going to do that, could it?"

"Mmm, rat dropping, how romantic!" Ginny giggled.

"I'm not complaining about it. I just thought it was a nice change, that's all," Harry said defensively.

"It should taste good after all the work we've put into it," Eva grumbled.

It was true. Preparation of the elixir had taken nearly a week and in the end they had been forced to call in help. Fortunately, Dumbledore had already made contact with a new Potions Master, a Horace Slughorn, who was due to take over from Snape during the next school year due to the former Death Eater's unexpected incarceration thanks to Madam Bone's new laws. Slughorn had proved extremely amenable to helping brew the potion, even if they had been rather vague as to its intended recipients. Even so, the chance to make a rare and exotic potion, augmented with a large bag of Galleons, had meant Slughorn had been prepared to drop everything to help. The results were now in their hands.

"Just a few minutes now, it's time for me to go," Eva announced. "Now, remember; don't drink the elixir until the first chime of the alarm sounds and don't panic if you start to feel strange. Dobby will be watching over you, and if anything unusual happens he has instructions to fetch Madam Pomfrey and myself from the castle."

"I hope not. I don't fancy everyone poking around when I'm starkers" Harry complained.

"Harry, I'm sure Madam Pomfrey has seen you in the all-together more times than she can count and, believe me, I have no desire to see your pale little backside wiggling about," Eva grinned.

"You don't know what you're missing," Ginny smirked.

"Anyway," Eva said, ignoring Ginny's comments, "there are dozens of recorded incidents of this ritual occurring, and as long as all the procedures are followed it should be easy. I don't think there's much doubt on how you two feel about each other, so we shouldn't have any problems on that front, anyway. I'll take my leave now, but I'll be close at hand if I'm needed. Good luck and I'll see you soon."

With that, Eva turned and Disapparated out of the forest and back to Hogwarts to wait for the ritual to be completed.

"Of course, none of those previous rituals featured a participant who was a Horcrux, did they?" Harry asked sourly.

"It will be alright, Harry. This is the perfect way of ridding you of that foul thing," Ginny assured him. "It's getting close to the time. We'd better get rid of these robes."

Without a word, the two teenagers slipped out of their lose robes and threw them over to one side. The ritual was to be undertaken skyclad, hence why they were so keen to avoid spectators.

Ginny nervously stood holding her goblet in her hand. Although she had been naked around Harry more times than she could count, there was something decidedly odd about just standing there in the middle of the Forbidden Forest without a stich on. They had been assured that no one ever came to this part of the forest and Dumbledore himself had spoken to the centaurs and requested they keep away. As the Soul Bonding Ritual was sacred to them, they had readily agreed.

A ringing chime suddenly sounded, a result of Eva's Time Charm, informing them it was exactly mid-day.

"Bottoms up," Harry said and began to drain his goblet.

"Literally," Ginny agreed and downed hers, as well.

Ginny barely managed to finish her goblet before she noticed she was trembling. The cup fell from her shaking fingers as she began to feel dizzy. Bright lights began to flash in front of her eyes and she briefly had the sensation of falling, before she realised her legs had given out on her. Desperately, she reached forward and seemingly automatically her hand found Harry's. She gripped it for all she was worth, before consciousness slipped away from her.

She awoke with a start. After a few confused seconds, she realised that she was lying face down on the cool grass of the clearing. With trembling limbs, she pushed herself up and managed to find her feet. Around her she could hear the breeze rippling through the trees and the sound of distant birdsong. A strange sense of unreality gripped her, though, like she wasn't really there.

Movement in front of her caught her attention, and she saw Harry climbing wearily to his feet. He appeared to be as dumbfounded as she was, and stared at her vacantly.

"Was that it? Did it even work?" Ginny asked in confusion.

"I don't know. I feel sort of…" Harry began but his voice trailed off.

Ginny's vision came sharply into focus and she found herself gazing directly into Harry's eyes. She'd always thought that his bright green eyes were one of his best features, but until that moment she never realised how truly beautiful they were. It was often said that the eyes were the window to the soul, and if that was the case then Harry's soul was truly spectacular.

A strange aching feeling gripped her, and she could feel herself becoming aroused. She let her eyes drop from Harry's and she began to gaze down at his naked body. Ginny could feel her breath become ragged as desire consumed her. Her longing for him was nearly enough to make her legs collapse under her and she could smell her own arousal. Her gaze continued to drop until she was staring directly below Harry's waist.

Oh, sweet Merlin, he wanted her as much as she wanted him.

She couldn't say which of them moved first, but they leapt at each other and fell roughly to the ground. Suddenly, she couldn't touch him enough and she tried to press every inch of her flesh against his. His lips began to ravage her face and neck, and she ran her hands desperately over his body, eager to feel every single part of him.

Their lips met and she lost any pretence at rational thought.


	7. Chapter 7 – White Summer

**Chapter 7 – White Summer **

AN

Ah, it's a beautiful spring day here in England. The sun is shining, the birds are singing and the grass in my back garden desperately needs cutting. The perfect time to sit indoors and post another chapter!

I must confess, I'm interested in how this chapter will be received. As Arnel described it, it is carefree and lacking in angst, although I do wonder if parts of it will be taken in the spirit I intended them. I've added an extra Authors Note to the end of this chapter explaining my motivation for the scene at the Burrow, as I'm sure I'm going to get a few comments.

Huge thanks to Arnel, as always. There's a girl who appreciates a good barbecue as much as I.

* * *

"Ow" Ginny moaned as she rolled over. Something had started to tickle her nose and she realised that she had several long pieces of grass in her hair. Irritably, she brushed them away with her hand.

Feeling like she'd just been hit by a runaway Hogwarts Express, she tried to rise to her knees. Pain instantly shot through her.

"Ooh, that's not good," she mumbled as she steadied herself with her hands. She ached all over, but the pain seemed most intense between her legs. Dimly, her memory began to return to her, and she desperately looked about for Harry.

He was lying on his back a few feet behind her and looked dead to the world. Only the steady rise and fall of his bare chest reassured her that he was fine. With her energy flagging, Ginny sat back on her bum and clutched at herself.

"You are never touching me again, Potter," she grumbled.

"Gin…Ginny?" his voice weakly slurred.

"Ah, awake are we?" she snapped.

"Yeah, I… ouch!" he exclaimed suddenly and curled into a ball, clutching himself in a similar manner to Ginny.

"Overdid it a bit, have we?" she said sarcastically.

"Oh, sweet Merlin! By bits are on fire!" he moaned pathetically. "Bloody hell, what did you do to me, Ginny?"

"What did I do to YOU?" she screeched. "I doubt I'll ever walk straight again thanks to you, you git!"

"I… what?" he said, peering at her groggily.

Ginny felt her temper ebb away. It was clear Harry was in just as bad a state as she was judging by the tender way he was cradling himself. If she wasn't in so much discomfort, she would have found the whole thing funny.

"I guess we both got a bit carried away, didn't we?" Ginny acknowledged. "I mean, when I woke up a second ago, I was about ready to practice my Castration Charm on you, but I can feel that you're in as much pain as I am."

Harry looked at her strangely. "What do you mean; you can feel that I'm in as much pain as you?"

"Why I can…" she began before her jaw dropped open in surprise. "Bloody hell! Harry, I can feel how much pain you're in! I can feel your… your… boy bits!"

"Bugger me! I can feel you, too," Harry gasped. "Oh, god, you hurt so much. I caused you so much pain. I'm so sorry, Ginny, I'm a pig!"

Harry looked totally sickened, and Ginny could sense his shame and guilt at causing her such discomfort. She could also feel his intense self-loathing as to have hurt someone he loved so much. That he loved so much…

She leapt at him and wrapped her arms tightly around him. "It's not your fault, my love," she assured him, tears forming in her eyes at the remorse he was suffering. "It was the ritual that caused us to lose control. I know you would never willingly hurt me in a million years. I'm not angry at you, I promise."

He looked up at her with hope in his eyes. Hoping she was doing it right, she opened her heart to him and let him sense what she was feeling and thinking. A shy smile crept onto his lips.

"You really don't blame me, do you?" he said in wonder. "I can literally feel what you feel. This is amazing!"

"Yeah, and a bit weird, too," Ginny admitted. "I guess this means that if we get into an argument, I'll have to be careful what Hex I use on you."

"I guess it was all worth it, then," Harry laughed weakly.

"Yeah, but just you wait until I wax my legs. Or better yet, when I give birth for the first time," she joked. The reaction wasn't what she was expecting.

"Do you think we'll have kids together one day?" he asked in awe.

Ginny instantly sensed how important this was for Harry. Having lost so much in the past, the idea of family was a wonderful and precious thing to him. Oh, he had Sirius and now Eva, but the idea of starting his own family with her filled him with a sense of incredible joy. She smiled at him.

"One day, yeah, of course we will. Just don't expect me to get banged-up anytime soon, Harry. I want to live my life to the full before I settle down with kids. You and me have a lot to do before we buy some picturesque little cottage somewhere and let ourselves quietly fall to pieces," she told him.

"Oh, yeah! I mean, I wasn't saying we had to have children straight away. I really don't think I'm ready for all that for a good few years yet. Nah, I remember what you said. You want to travel and find adventure, don't you? Let's face it, I don't think either of us would be happy sitting in some office somewhere pushing bits of parchment about. Once we finish off Voldemort, I promise we're going to do whatever we want. We might even spend some time on that sun-kissed beach that you keep talking about," Harry said, his eyes shining.

Ginny felt her heart melt. He had listened to her and wanted to make her dreams come true. When she'd made her play for him before the start of the Triwizard Tournament, she had never dreamed that they would get to this stage so quickly, and once Voldemort was defeated, they… Voldemort! She quickly reached up and pushed his hair away from his forehead and nearly screamed in joy.

"Harry, your scar, it's nearly completely faded!" she shouted in excitement.

"What? I… he's gone! I can't feel Voldemort in my head, at all. I'm not a Horcrux anymore," he gasped in wonder.

Unable to contain herself, Ginny grabbed his head and pulled him into a passionate kiss. He was free!

They pulled away from each other and she could see the look of unrestrained happiness in his eyes. Her heart felt like bursting at the waves of relief and joy she could feel radiating off him. The ritual had worked perfectly.

"We need to get back and tell Eva it's worked," Harry said excitedly. "Err, the sun looks a bit low on the horizon. How long do you think we've been out here?"

"I don't know," she said frowning. "Dobby, are you there?"

A soft pop announced the arrival of the little elf who stood looking at them with a strangely disapproving look on his face.

"Ah, master and mistress have finally finished, have they?" Dobby noted in what sounded like a critical tone. "Mistress Eva has been beside herselfs with worry, she has!"

"Err, sorry, Dobby," Harry apologised uncertainly. Clearly, he was as confused by the elf's attitude as Ginny was.

"Five times Mistress Eva has called Dobby to her," Dobby lectured. "Five times Dobby has to tell her that, no, Master Harry and Mistress Ginny are not finished. Up and down, they goes, up and down! Boing, boing, boing, for hours they is going. Dobby is getting tired just watching them!"

"Ah, so you gave Eva a detailed description of what we were doing, did you?" Harry asked in rather sickly tone.

"Yes, Dobby did's indeed! You'se young people's today have no shame, you don't!" Dobby scolded, wagging his finger at them.

"Well, we'd better put Eva's mind at rest, hadn't we? Can you head back to Hogwarts and tell her that the effects of the ritual have worn off now, and that it worked perfectly," Ginny said.

"It is being working? Master Harry no longer has the nasty thing in his head?" Dobby asked hopefully.

"Yes, it's all gone, Dobby," Harry assured him.

"Hooray!" Dobby cheered. "I goes and tell Mistress Eva this immediately. Before I goes, Mistress is telling Dobby to gives you these."

Dobby snapped his fingers and two small bottles magically appeared in from of both Harry and Ginny. Carefully, Ginny picked up one of the bottles and was delighted to see that it was for pain relief. The other bottle proved to be a Pepper Up Potion. She downed them both gratefully.

"Tell Eva we'll be making our way back now, please, Dobby," Harry said after he'd drunk his own potions.

With a happy nod, Dobby vanished from sight.

"I suppose we'd better find our robes. We can hardly head back to Hogwarts like this," Ginny mused.

"Over there," Harry said pointing off to one side. He hurried over and retrieved their discarded clothing, handing one set of robes to Ginny.

"At least after drinking those potions I can walk without looking like a spent a week on the back of a Hippogriff," Ginny ventured.

"Yeah, although I'm still a bit tender. What I want now is a good meal and then a nice long bath," Harry decided.

"Sounds heavenly," Ginny agreed. "Oh, but Potter? One thing: separate baths, okay?"

"Typical, we only just Soul Bonded and already you're claiming you're not in the mood. Is this what married life will be like?" Harry asked cheekily.

It was in deference to their newly-shared feelings that Ginny only hit him once.

HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP

A week later, the group had once again gathered in the kitchen of Grimmauld Place for a meeting. Eva, as she frequently seemed to do these days, had taken charge.

"Good morning, everyone," she began. "I suppose I will start by giving you what little news I have about Sirius, as several of you have asked already. I'm afraid there's still no sign of him regaining consciousness, although the Healers do report more brain activity than previously, which could mean that he's starting to come out of the coma. We can only keep our fingers crossed, but I am more hopeful than I have been for a while."

A mutter of approval ran through the assembled group and everyone looked pleased with the news.

"I will, of course, keep you informed of developments," Eva promised. "So, who would like to kick off?"

"Well, as we're dishing out good news, I have a couple of items," Tonks announced. "Actually, one item is good news and the other is just funny. Do you all remember a while back I said that the Auror Office was going to be visiting the Malfoy Estate? Well, we did. In fact, I was one of those that attended and, let me tell you, all is not well in the Malfoy household at the moment."

"Oh? Do tell," Ginny said eagerly.

"First off, the damage to the house was rather more extensive than we first thought. Only about a quarter of the place is still habitable, and the rest has either collapsed or is on the verge of falling down. The remainder stinks of smoke and isn't too pleasant, I can tell you," Tonks smirked.

"Oh, poor Draco," Harry exclaimed in a wholly unconvincing tone. "How will he and his dear mummy cope?"

"Ah, that's the other thing; it's just Draco there at the moment. My darling Auntie has done a runner. It appears Narcissa had been having a long-term affair with a wealthy French wizard called Gaspard Chabrol and, shortly after Malfoy Manor burned down, she legged it off to the continent with him, taking most of the remaining family gold with her, too," Tonks chortled. "Apparently, Dracky-poo wasn't very chuffed with Gaspard and refused to come with them. In a burst of common-sense I really thought was beyond Narcissa, she waved Draco goodbye and vanished with her smouldering French lover. Rumour has it that they are shacked up somewhere around the Côte d'Azur. Draco is now snuffling around in the ruins of Malfoy Manor with barely a Galleon to his name."

"Wait a minute! Are you telling me that Draco is now… poor?" Harry asked in eager anticipation.

"Yup," Tonks smirked.

"Hold on, we have to take a break here. I need to savour this moment," Harry announced before sitting motionless for several minutes with a dreamy expression on his face.

"Okay, that's enough gloating for now. I can do some more later, in private," he announced eventually. "What was your other bit of good news?"

"Ah, well, that's even better," Tonks said with mysterious smile before thrusting her left hand out for them all to see. "Remus and I got engaged!"

The kitchen exploded in noise as everyone rushed to congratulate the couple. Ginny darted around the table and pulled Tonks into a warm hug, and was followed by Hermione, Luna, Fleur and Audrey. Tonks was nearly crying with happiness.

"Since the income from the stolen jewellery has started coming in, courtesy of Bill here, I didn't really have any excuse not to ask her," Remus started to explain to the other men who were gathered around.

"Yeah, well, it was about time," Harry laughed. "We've been waiting for you to pop the question for months now."

"Truthfully, I was going to do it sooner, but I was hoping Sirius would have woken up by now," Remus admitted.

"He will just have to wait to hear the news," Eva declared loudly. "It's like I told you, Remus, you can't just put your life on hold because he's not here. Besides, he would have just wanted to throw some enormous party and I can't take the hangovers anymore."

"We'll just have to have the party when he wakes up," Tonks decided.

"Most definitely," Remus agreed.

"We will celebrate properly when we are finished here," Eva decided in a no-nonsense fashion. "Who else has something to share with us? Percy, how about you?"

"Indeed, Eva, I've been very busy these last few weeks," Percy began. "As you all know, Madam Bones gave me a sweeping mandate to root out corruption within the Ministry and, if I do say so myself, I've been doing a pretty good job so far."

"Naturally," Ginny smirked.

"Mock if you will, my disreputable sister, but a little self-congratulations are definitely in order. Apart from exposing the last remaining Death Eaters within the Ministry, Lucius Malfoy didn't know of them all, oddly enough, I've also uncovered theft and corruption I would conservatively estimate that has cost the tax-payers over six million Galleons over a twelve year period. I've had twenty-eight individuals arrested with another four currently being questioned. In addition, I've identified assets for the Ministry to seize in reparation worth around four million Galleons. Amelia was practically dancing in the corridors when I told her how much money I've managed to recover," Percy explained smugly.

"Wow, that isn't exactly chicken-feed, is it?" Bill said in amazement.

"My team is also currently writing up a series of recommendations to improve security and accounting practices within the Ministry. Audrey has been outstanding in coming up with ideas to prevent further financial crime in the future," Percy said with a smile at his fiancé.

"It's all just common-sense, basically," Audrey said dismissively.

"Yes, but how many witches and wizards have any of that?" Hermione snorted.

"Ooh, I quite agree," Luna said nodding. "Why, just the other day my father was moaning that no wizards have the common-sense to cover their cucumbers with a damp cloth at night to prevent the Wrackspurts getting to them. It's just madness, really."

"Yes, perfect example," Hermione agreed with a perfectly straight face for which she probably should have been given some sort of award.

"Um, yes, anyway, I'm pleased to say that the vast majority of illegal activities will have been stamped out within the Ministry in the very near future. Of course, no system is ever one hundred per cent effective, but we'll be running a pretty honest ship from now on, I think," Percy announced with pride.

"Of course, this means you can't accept the odd bribe, either," Ginny pointed out.

"After we divide the riches my dear brother William is securing for us, I hardly think that matters, does it?" Percy smirked.

"Speaking of which, I'm happy to announce that we've secured buyers for the last few pieces of jewellery," Bill leapt in. "We did slightly better than expected as a couple of potential buyers got into a bidding war over one piece. The total raised ended up being four million, two hundred and twenty-three thousand, six hundred and twelve Galleons, after costs."

Cheers and clapping filled the room.

"I've taken the liberty of making the initial payments directly into all your vaults at Gringotts, as Remus has already discovered," Bill paused to shoot a grin at the older man, "and I expect the majority of funds will be deposited by the end of the month."

"I feel another celebration coming on," Tonks sang.

"Let's finish this meeting first," Eva insisted. "We have one more important things to cover: the remaining Horcrux. Remus, any luck?"

"I'm drawing a blank, I'm afraid. This 'R.A.B.' is proving elusive," Remus told them apologetically. "Unfortunately, the only public records relating to Death Eaters detail those that were convicted or killed. It could well be that this person was never caught or, simply, he never was a Death Eater in the first place."

"I've tried to make my search a bit wider," Hermione added, "but it is rather like looking for a needle in a haystack. I've identified over a hundred wizards and witches with the same initials, but without a clear link to Voldemort I might have looked at the correct one without ever knowing it."

"I think you're right," Eva agreed. "I have scoured Voldemort's memories that I obtained and I cannot recall anyone who would fit those initials. Unfortunately, I directed all my attention to looking for information about Horcruxes and didn't think to look for much else."

"Perhaps it would be best if I took a leaf out of Hermione's book and widened my search, too," Remus pondered. "Heaven knows, I'm making no headway currently."

Ginny felt a sharp pang of disappointment that was not entirely her own. She turned her head to look at Harry who was looking despondent at the news. Feeling her eyes on him, Harry turned to look back at her and she offered him an encouraging smile. He returned her smile, and she felt him try to put the disappointment behind him.

Many of the group had asked what being Soul Bonded was like, but neither she nor Harry could begin to explain it. For one thing, it was a lot subtler than she had been expecting. Whilst Ginny knew that there wouldn't be any fantastical 'psychic-links' or mind-reading between them, she wasn't prepared for the sense of oneness that she experienced. The best she could describe it was like being wrapped in a huge, warm blanket on a cold night. The rest of the world might be out there, but she was snug and happy inside her blanket. She also knew without a moment's thought that if anything happened and Harry was killed, she would follow on shortly afterwards. The strangest thing about this was the feeling of comfort this gave her; she would never be without him. They would be together for the rest of their lives, and nothing could change that.

"Do whatever you think best," Eva told Remus, snapping Ginny out of her reflections. "Does anyone have anything else they want to bring up? No? Well, I think that brings this meeting to a close."

"And the opening to the party!" Tonks cried. "Okay, who's got the key to Sirius's booze cabinet?"

"Why, I do, young Nymphadora," Eva declared holding up a small brass key, She then, very deliberately, dropped the key down the front of her blouse. "Care to try to retrieve it?"

Ginny caught Bill, Percy and Remus all exchanging a look of fear.

"Ah, no, Eva. I guess we have been pilfering Sirius's drinks supplies a bit too much lately, haven't we? Umm, who fancies heading down the pub?" Tonks asked.

As everyone quickly signalled their agreement, Ginny could only laugh at the smug look on Eva's face.

HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP

Next morning, Harry and Ginny made their way down to the kitchen in search of breakfast. As usual, they found Eva already up and dressed.

"Good morning, you two," she greeted them. "I trust you slept well?"

"Like a baby," Ginny confirmed.

"I thought you must have been comfortable, considering you slept half the morning away," Eva tutted.

"It's ten past nine," Harry protested.

"Yes, and I've been up for hours already," Eva pointed out.

Harry mumbled something about it being the holidays, but Eva ignored him.

"Anyway, while the pair of you were lazing about, an owl arrived with a letter for each of you. I would guess that they are your Hogwarts letters. No doubt yours was delivered here as you seem to have taken up permanent residence in Harry's bedroom, Ginny," Eva said with a smirk.

"Thank you," Ginny said, reaching out for her letter. She hoped she wasn't blushing too much.

"Oh, bugger, this will be my O.W.L. results," Harry moaned.

"I'd completely forgotten about those," Ginny exclaimed. "Come on, open your letter! I'm dying to know how you did."

Harry ripped open the end of the envelope and peered inside. He frowned for a moment, and then tipped the envelope out over the table. Two shiny gold badges fell onto the table.

"I bet I can guess what those are," Ginny said with glee.

Harry picked them up and examined them with a shocked expression on his face.

"Prefect and Gryffindor Quidditch team captain?" Harry gasped.

"Yeah, I heard Katie Bell didn't want to be captain as it's her N.E.W.T. year and I don't think she's too confident of doing well, so that makes you the next senior player. As for the prefect's position, you were the natural choice. It was a travesty that you didn't get it last year," Ginny pointed out.

"Congratulations, Harry. I'm proud of you," Eva said smiling happily.

"Yeah, I just hope I have time for everything this year," he muttered.

"Things should be a bit less hectic than last year," Ginny assured him. "Now, how about those O.W.L. results?"

Harry pulled the letter from out of the envelope and quickly scanned it. A smile gradually crept onto his face. He passed the letter to Ginny who tilted it so Eva could look over her shoulder.

_ORDINARY WIZARDING LEVEL RESULTS_

_HARRY JAMES POTTER HAS ACHEVIED:_

_Astronomy E_

_Care of Magical Creatures O_

_Charms O_

_Defence Against the Dark Arts O_

_Divination A_

_Herbology E_

_History of Magic A_

_Potions O_

_Transfiguration O _

"Harry, you did brilliantly!" Ginny shouted happily before rushing over and pulling him into a hug.

"Indeed, these are definitely results to be proud of," Eva agreed.

"It's all thanks to you, Remus and Sirius, really. But I guess it's mostly down to Ginny. If she hadn't come and knocked me into shape during my fourth year, I wouldn't have done half as well," Harry said.

"Don't sell yourself short. You worked bloody hard for those results. Besides, the best teachers in the world won't help if the intelligence isn't there in the first place. You did fantastically, and don't forget it," Ginny insisted.

"Thanks," Harry mumbled shyly.

In the meantime, Ginny had opened her letter and was pleased, if not terribly surprised, when a gold badge with a large 'P' on it fell out.

"Well, snap," Ginny grinned, displaying her badge to Harry.

"Do you think we can get Hermione to swap so we can patrol together?" he asked hopefully.

"Oh, I'm sure we'll be able to arrange something," she said smugly.

HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP

Contentment.

There simply was no other word for it. The sun was beating down from a perfectly blue sky, the cooling waters of the River Otter lapped against her thighs and her handsome, swimming-trunk clad boyfriend had his arms wrapped around. Things, quite simply, did not get any better.

They had decided to take a day off and just lounge around, for a change. The previous weeks had been hectic and the summer was flying by. Both her and Harry's birthdays had come and gone, and it would only be a short while before they returned to Hogwarts for another year.

The past month had been full of meetings, training, exercising, planning, researching and precious little time off. Yesterday, for instance, they had spent the morning learning advanced Transfiguration with Remus and in the afternoon travelled to the Ministry for a meeting with Madam Bones. The new Minister for Magic was keeping Harry firmly in the loop and they regularly exchanged information. It was proving a good arrangement. There had even been some excitement three days ago when Sirius briefly awoke from his coma, but he quickly slipped into unconsciousness again. Still, it was a very good sign the Healers told them.

As everyone else had been busy today, she and Harry had decided to grab a well-earned bit of down time. They had the Burrow to themselves as Molly was once again out hunting for Ron and Arthur was at work. Since their betrothal, Molly seemed a lot more relaxed about leaving the two of them alone, although Ginny had to endure a two hour lecture on proper behaviour for a young lady a few weeks before, which was really shutting the stable door after the Abraxan had bolted, as far as she was concerned. Ginny could only ponder why her mother the need to constantly remind her about decorum, self-restraint and birth control. She made a mental note to cross-check her parents wedding date against Bill's birth certificate some time.

Irrespectively, they were being trusted to be by themselves for the day, which made a nice change at the Burrow. Eva had long since accepted that Ginny would sleep in Harry's bed whenever she stayed at Grimmauld Place, and she slept over at least three or four times a week. Sadly, Molly was nowhere near as progressive in her thinking, despite her complete acceptance of Harry and Ginny as a couple. Still, what her mother didn't know…

As it was such a gloriously hot day, they had decided that they would go swimming in the river which ran just along the edge of the property. Some years before, the Weasleys had dug out a landing at the bottom of the garden and it was here that they lounged in the shallow water.

"Hello Ginny. Hello Harry," said a familiar voice from behind them.

Twisting her head, Ginny saw Luna standing at the water's edge. She was dressed in a simple yellow sun dress with flip-flops on her feet.

"Hi, Luna, glad you could come over," Ginny greeted her friend.

"Thank you for inviting me," Luna beamed. "It's such a hot day and having a swim sounded a wonderful idea."

"Are you and your dad not going off on an expedition this year?" Harry enquired.

"Oh, we did spend a week in the Philippines just after school broke up, but Daddy was too busy to take more time off this year," Luna explained. "It's all these articles we've been publishing about politics and crime. It's all rather dull, but strangely The Quibbler's readership has rocketed since we started printing that stuff. There's no accounting for taste."

"Yeah, you probably shouldn't have got all those dreary direct quotes from Madam Bones, or those up-dates from Percy. Littering The Quibbler with all that exclusive, hot news was just asking for trouble," Harry joked.

"Well, exactly," Luna huffed. "Speaking of which, how did the meeting with Amelia go yesterday?"

"Pretty good," Harry confirmed. "Every Ministry worker has now been checked for a Dark Mark and several arrests were made. They estimate that fifteen known Death Eaters are still on the loose, with Antonin Dolohov and Fenrir Greyback being the most prominent to escape capture. Madam Bones's next move will be to try and get the Dementors removed from Azkaban and banned from Ministry use. We're pretty sure the bill will be approved, but Audrey is working behind the scenes just to be sure."

"It's all going pretty well," Ginny confirmed, "which is why we felt that a day off was in order. We thought we'd spend a few hours out here and then we have a nice lunch lined up."

"Wonderful," Luna agreed. "I was getting rather bored at home. Will anyone else be joining us?"

"Nah, we did invite Hermione and Eddie, but they're having a joint family picnic in the New Forrest. I got the impression it was a chance for the Grangers to see what sort of people the Carmichaels are. We thought we'd better stay out of it," Ginny noted.

"And everyone else is working," Harry added. "It's just the three of us, I'm afraid."

"That's alright. I do really like Hermione, especially now she's not as closed-minded as she was, but you two are my favourite people in the world, other than Daddy, of course," Luna told them.

"Oh, thank you, Luna. That's so sweet of you to say. I love you to bits, too," Ginny said, genuinely touched by her friend's words.

"Yeah, I agree," Harry added. "I think you're wonderful, as well."

"That's nice," Luna said with a bright smile. "How's the water, by the way?"

"Cold, crisp and just the ticket for a sweltering day like today," Ginny confirmed. "You need to get yourself in here. Do you need to nip back to the house to change?"

"Oh, no, I've come prepared," Luna confirmed and grabbed the bottom of her dress and pulled it over her head.

Ginny was suddenly knocked sideways into the water as Harry let out a yelp and scrambled up. He hurriedly turned his back to the two girls.

"Luna!" he cried in shock. "You're nude!"

Spitting out a mouthful of water, Ginny looked up and saw that Luna was indeed standing on the river bank as naked as the day she was born. Dimly, it occurred to her that it was years since she'd seen her friend with no clothes on. Luna had definitely filled out a bit since then.

"Well, of course, silly. I can't very well go swimming with my clothes on, can I?" Luna huffed.

"Where's your swimming costume, Luna?" Ginny asked hesitantly.

"Swimming costume?" Luna repeated in confusion.

"You know, an outfit you wear while swimming? Like I'm wearing?" Ginny prompted.

"Oh, I don't have one of those. They look terribly inhibiting," Luna noted disapprovingly.

"What do you wear when you go swimming normally?" she asked her friend in surprise. Luna often mentioned taking a dip in the stretch of the river close to her house.

"I don't wear anything," Luna replied, clearly not understanding what the fuss was about.

"But what if someone sees you?" Harry asked, steadfastly facing in the opposite direction.

"People see me swimming all the time," Luna confirmed. "In fact, there's a group of Muggle boys from the village who often watch me when I swim. They don't seem to mind that I don't wear a costume."

"I bet," Harry muttered.

"Umm, it's not really the done thing to swim naked, Luna," Ginny told her friend tentatively. "I know you don't care, but can't you see how uncomfortable you're making Harry?"

"But why?" Luna protested. "Don't you like my body, Harry? What's wrong with it?"

"Nothing," Harry assured her in a strangled voice. "It's just that Ginny is my girlfriend and I don't think I should be looking at other girls while they have no clothes on."

"I don't understand," Luna protested. "I know you're with Ginny and I'm not trying to steal you away from her. You know that don't you, Ginny?"

"Of course I know that," Ginny assured her. "It's just that it's not very decent to display yourself in front of other people."

"But I don't care about that. Who says it's not decent? We weren't born with clothes on, you know. It's a stupid rule made by prudish idiots that says it's not decent to be naked. I love the way the sun feels on my skin, so why should I be forced to cover up?" Luna demanded.

"Stupid or not, it's the way we were raised," Ginny pointed out weakly.

"I don't have a swimming costume. Do you want me to go, then?" Luna asked, sounding very upset.

Ginny gulped. She felt like a complete git. She really didn't want to hurt Luna, but on the other hand, it would just be weird to sit about while she pranced around naked. Ginny looked at her friend and saw her big, blue eyes were close to tears. A stab of guilt shot through her; she and Harry were Luna's best friends and they were practically rejecting her. What would be the harm to let Luna have her way? Other than melting Harry's brain, of course.

She glanced at Harry who was still standing resolutely with his back to them. Stretching out her feelings, she attempted to discover what his reaction would be if she agreed Luna could remain here in her present undressed state. What she found surprised her. Harry wasn't upset that Luna had no clothes on; he was worried what her reaction would be to him seeing another girl naked. Ginny pondered the situation for a moment. As it stood, either Harry or Luna was going to end up being upset. She needed to do something.

Suddenly, a wicked idea hit her.

"Luna, I do understand that you don't want to wear a bathing costume, but really you can't be the only one running around in the nuddy. It will make Harry and I feel uncomfortable," Ginny explained. "I guess there's only one thing for it…"

Deliberately, she reached behind her head and undid the straps of her own swimsuit. Once she had undone the knot, she pulled the costume down until it fell around her ankles. She bent down and picked it up, before throwing it onto the bank.

Sensing something was happening behind him, Harry glanced over his shoulder.

"GINNY!" Harry bellowed. "What are you doing?"

"Well, I think we should either all wear a costume or none of us should," she explained calmly.

For a moment, it looked like Harry had been struck dumb. His eyes swivelled between Ginny and Luna, clearly not able to comprehend that he had two naked witches standing calmly in front of him.

"That's two of us not wearing anything, now," Luna pointed out. "That means you're in the minority. I think it's only fair if you take off your swimming trunks, too."

"What?" Harry gasped, his voice rising in pitch by several octaves.

"Yeah, what's the matter? Chicken or something?" Ginny taunted.

Harry's mouth opened and closed a few times without making any sound. Ginny had the feeling that he was trying to gauge her reaction to all this through their bond, and that he was rather shocked by what he found. A moment later, Ginny got a feeling of resignation from him.

"Fine!" he scowled. "Have it your way."

He then sat down in the shallow water so it was up to his waist. He then reached down, and with a fair bit of squirming, managed to pull his swimming trunks off.

"Happy now?" he griped, throwing his trunks onto the bank.

"Yes, I am. Oh, you two are the best friends I could ever wish for! Thank you," Luna declared and splashed over so she could hug Ginny.

"Err, no problem," Ginny responded, somewhat uncomfortable about being hugged by the naked girl.

As soon as Luna released Ginny, the blond girl started to walk over to where Harry was sitting, obviously intent on giving him a hug, too. Harry immediately raised his hands in warning.

"Umm, it's okay, Luna, stay there, please," he said urgently.

Ginny immediately saw they had another problem. Harry would probably now spend the rest of the day absolutely refusing to move from that spot. That simply wouldn't do.

"You know what we should do now, Luna?" she asked her friend with a smirk.

"What?" Luna asked.

"Water fight!" she yelled and using both her hands splashed water at Harry.

Luna chortled in delight and immediately joined in splashing Harry, who raised his hands trying to protect himself. His efforts were in vain and within seconds he was soaked.

"Why you two…" he growled and leapt to his feet so he could splash water back at the girls. He'd flicked water at them twice before it suddenly dawned on him that he was giving both girls a full-frontal view.

"Umm…" he mumbled, turning bright red.

"Goodness, Ginny, you are a lucky girl," Luna purred appreciatively. "I guess I know now why you were so keen on being betrothed to him."

Ginny laughed. "Amazingly, I wanted that before I'd seen him in the all-together," she replied. "This was just a very nice bonus."

Harry was by this point bright red and was trying to decide if it was worth covering himself with his hands or not.

"It's a bit late for modestly," Ginny giggled. "Come on, we're all wet now, let's go for a swim."

Ginny waded out towards the main part of the river and dived forward. Luna joined her almost immediately and the two of them gently crawled into the deep water at the middle of the river. Turning her head, she saw Harry wading out to join them. She grinned at him as he ruefully swam out to join them.

The three of them splashed around in the cool waters of the river for a while, before starting a game of aquatic tag. It was clear that Luna was by far the most accomplished swimmer of all of them, and darted backwards and forwards through the water, tagging them with ease. Harry, by contrast, was the poorest swimmer, but his greater height meant he could frequently gain an unfair advantage by using the river bottom as a spring board. Ginny just played dirty and frequently dunked her companions, or swam underwater to grab their legs. Their game was accompanied by much laughter and joking.

Eventually, they grew tired and the girls waded back to the river bank. They climbed out and collapsed in the warm grass so they could dry off in the scorching sun. Harry paused for a moment before shrugging his shoulders and following them out. He sat down in the grass between them.

"That was wonderful," Luna exclaimed. "It's much more fun to swim if you're not by yourself."

"It was a laugh," Ginny agreed. "Oh, if we're going to lay here long we'd better cast Sun Protection Charms on ourselves."

She scrambled up and made her way back to her discarded swimsuit. Retrieving her wand, she hurried back to where the others were soaking up the sun. Ginny quickly cast a spell on herself, before repeating the action on first Luna and then Harry.

"What does that spell do?" Harry asked curiously.

"Mainly, it stops you getting sunburnt," Ginny explained, "but it also helps you get a bit of a tan, too. With my colouring, I need to be really careful in the sun."

"Useful spell," Harry noted.

Lulled by the hot sun, the three friends lazed about for a while. They spoke only occasionally and were content to just enjoy each other's company. Eventually, the famous Weasley appetite stepped in.

"I'm getting hungry," Ginny declared. "How about we head back to the house for lunch?"

"Oh, do we have to go indoors?" Luna asked in disappointment.

"Why don't we eat outside?" Harry suggested.

"Yeah, we could grab everything from the kitchen and eat over by the trees. The grass is nice and soft over there, and we'll have a bit of shade," Ginny agreed.

Leaping up, they hurried back to the Burrow and entered the kitchen. Molly Weasley had already prepared lunch for them before she went out, so it was a simple matter to gather the plates and bowls and head back into the garden. Ginny also snuck a bottle of cold white wine out of the pantry for them, too.

They sat underneath a shady Birch tree and tucked into the small feast of cold chicken breast, pork pie slices and accompanying salad. The ice-cold wine was especially appreciated, and the three friends lounged in the cool grass, sipping their drinks and feeling extremely relaxed.

Ginny glanced over her boyfriend who was lying on his side, with his glass in his hand and a contented smile on his face. He appeared completely unconcerned at his nudity.

"Someone got over his bashfulness quickly," Ginny teased.

Harry looked genuinely confused for a second before he realised what she was talking about.

"You know, I quite forgot that I'm not wearing anything," he admitted. "Luna was right; it does feel really nice to feel the sun on your skin. All of your skin, that is."

"Don't you feel more comfortable like this?" Luna agreed. "Those trunks you were wearing were horribly constrictive. It just feels so wonderful to be so free and to let the air travel over your body."

She stretched like a cat before lying on her back in the grass. Ginny looked at her fondly, thinking what a beautiful young witch she was turning into. A thought occurred to her.

"Would you like some help to find yourself a boyfriend?" she asked. "I mean, everyone else seems to be paired-up at the moment, apart from you. There must be at least one decent boy in Hogwarts for you."

"Oh, there are plenty of decent boys, but I just don't think they'd be very good matches for me," Luna disagreed. "Besides, at the moment I'm really not sure if I'd want a boyfriend or a girlfriend."

Unfortunately, Ginny had just taken a sip of her wine and Luna's comment caused her to choke on it. Harry helpfully patted her on the back until she managed to recover.

"What?" she managed to splutter at her friend.

"I'm not sure if I like girls or boys best," Luna said with a shrug. "Frankly, I think I'm less interested in the sex of a person than whether they are a good match for me or not."

"Luna, I know you and Hermione became pretty close lately. Did you two…" Harry asked hesitantly.

Ginny's head whipped round to stare at him. He seemed to be completely unsurprised by Luna's revelation and even appeared to be suggesting that the blond girl had be trying to develop a romantic relationship with Hermione! That was ridiculous… wasn't it?

"Oh, I don't think Hermione was interested in me like that," Luna replied sadly. "I would have been quite willing, and I think it would have been a good thing for Hermione, too, but I'm afraid it would have been too much of a leap for her. I think I managed to make her more open-minded, but that would have been a step too far."

"I'm sorry, Luna, and for what it's worth I think it would have been a good thing for Hermione, too. I guess you're right, though. She's just too conventional to enter into a relationship with another girl," Harry said sympathetically.

Ginny stared at him in amazement. Luna noticed her shocked expression and turned to look at her.

"Are you offended by me liking girls as well as boys, Ginny?" Luna asked uncertainly.

"I'm… surprised," Ginny admitted. "Honestly, Luna, how many years have I known you? I never had an inkling that you felt like that."

"To be honest, it's only in the last year that I realised it," Luna told her. "I think it might have been Hermione that awoke those feelings in me, but when they did, I realised there were probably more females that I was attracted to then males. In fact, Harry's the only boy I would really want to be with, and I know he's taken."

"I actually think that's an enormous compliment, Luna, thank you," Harry said warmly.

For a brief second, Ginny felt a stab of jealousy. Instantly, Harry turned his head and looked at her intently. As quickly as her resentment came, it was gone, dispelled by the feelings of pure love that Harry seemed to be radiating at her. Ginny shook her head, upset at her own stupidity.

"Merlin, I'm an idiot," she muttered.

Harry scooted over to her and slipped his arm around her shoulders before delivering a lingering kiss to her forehead. "Yeah, but you're my idiot," she told her affectionately.

"I'm sorry, Luna, for a second there I became a bit of a jealous bitch. I know you would never try to steal Harry from me. I'm sorry I seemed a bit uncertain about what you told me, too. It doesn't matter a fig to me whether you prefer boys, girls or Pygmy Puffs, you're still my best friend," Ginny said earnestly.

"That's alright, Ginny," Luna assured her. "You're still my best friend, too."

"I'm glad that's sorted," Harry announced happily. "So, if we're not going to help you find a boyfriend, do you want us to help find you a girlfriend?"

Luna laughed. "I hardly think you can just put up a notice or something, Harry."

"Probably not. Actually, now I think about it, I don't think I would be a lot of use finding a willing witch for you. I can just imagine that if I start going round the girls at Hogwarts asking if they're into other girls, I'm going to get my face slapped a lot," Harry snorted.

"Yeah, subtlety isn't your strong point, is it?" Ginny teased.

"Don't worry about it," Luna smiled. "The right person, be it a boy or girl, will appear at the right time, I'm sure. I just have to keep my eyes open and my fingers crossed."

"We will, too," Ginny promised.

"Thank you," she replied, grinning impishly. "So, if your lunches have settled do you two fancy another swim?"

"Last one in's a rotten dragon's egg!" Ginny cried and sprinted towards the river. She laughed as she heard the others scrambling to follow her, while simultaneously yelling that she cheated.

The rest of the afternoon passed in blissful contentment. They swam in the river for a good hour, splashing about and generally having fun, before they retreated back to the warm grass and sunbathed. It was only when it approached four o'clock did they feel the need to get dressed just in case Molly Weasley returned early. Luna decided she should return home at that point and, after hugging and kissing both of them, she skipped her way out of the garden, her yellow sundress flapping about her. They stood and waved her off.

"You know, you amaze me sometimes," Ginny said, turning towards Harry.

"What? Why?" he asked in surprise.

"I hadn't got a clue that Luna swung both ways, but you not only figured it out, but we're actually supportive of her choices. What happened to Harry 'I'm dense about girls' Potter?" she challenged.

"It wasn't that hard to figure out," Harry protested. "I could see the way she was looking at Hermione sometimes. She gets this really wistful look in her eyes. Besides, don't you remember her comments about boys making her elbows itch? That's Luna speak for I like girls."

"I never even noticed," Ginny said, shaking her head sadly. "My best friend and I completely missed it."

"Don't worry about it. I think that you're just so use to Luna's oddities that you stopped analysing what they mean. I've only known her since last year and I have to put a bit more thought into what she's actually saying. For you, a lot of that is second-nature by now," Harry speculated.

"Maybe, but I still think I should have noticed something," Ginny lamented.

"Never mind. Anyway, we'd better get dinner started. Your mum and dad will be home soon, and we promised we'd have something ready for them," he pointed out.

"Your right," Ginny agreed, taking his hand as they headed back into the Burrow. "You know, today has been a wonderful day. I really can't remember when I've had so much fun."

"Yeah, I wish we could do it all again tomorrow," Harry said sadly.

"Well, why don't we? We've only got this week left and we haven't had much of a break. I vote we take the rest of the time off. Bugger it all, we deserve it!" she said fiercely.

"I agree, but I'm not sure Eva will," Harry said reluctantly.

"We'll just see about that," Ginny declared. "I'm staying at your place tonight, so we'll tell her when we go over."

"Okay," Harry agreed nervously.

"Come on, Harry, what's the worst Eva can do?" Ginny asked with a smirk. "Besides, wouldn't you like the chance to spend some more time with two naked witches?"

Harry's answering grin said it all.

HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP

After dinner, Harry and Ginny travelled back to Grimmauld Place. They found Eva in the sitting room talking to Remus and Tonks. They marched purposely up to her.

"Eva," Harry said in a determined voice. "We, that is, Ginny and I, have come to a decision."

"Yes, we're taking the rest of the time until school starts off. No more training or studying, at all," Ginny announced decisively.

"We've worked bloody hard for the last few months, and we're really in need of some down-time," he explained.

"It's only fair. We're not machines, you know," Ginny said heatedly.

"Okay," Eva agreed.

"You can't expect us to work night and day to… err, what?" Harry asked looked shocked.

"I said okay," Eva confirmed. "I agree that you've both worked very hard, and I think you deserve some time to yourselves. Besides, I think Sirius is on the verge of waking up and I want to be there when he does. If I'm not supervising your studies, I can spend more time at St Mungo's."

"Oh… great," Ginny said, somewhat flabbergasted that Eva had agreed to their request so readily. Normally the stern German woman was a hard taskmaster.

"Actually, I'm not sure that's such a good idea," Remus began. "Losing a whole week would… ow!"

Remus clutched the back of his head where Tonks had slapped him hard. He tried to glare at his fiancé in annoyance, but quickly melted under her cool gaze.

"Err, on second thoughts, enjoy yourselves," he muttered, rubbing the back of his head.

"Great, it's probably easier if I stay at the Burrow for the next few days if that's okay," Harry announced.

"Oh, is Molly letting you and Ginny share a bedroom now?" Tonks asked mildly.

"What my mum doesn't know won't hurt her," Ginny replied loftily.

"You're playing with fire," Tonks warned. "If Molly catches you two doing something inappropriate…"

"Then we'll just have to make sure we're not doing anything inappropriate for a betrothed and Soul Bonded couple to do, won't we?" she said haughtily.

"Yes, good luck explaining that to Molly," Remus murmured.

"Remus, please, you're talking to the son of a Marauder," Harry declared in an offended tone. "We'll simply make sure we're not caught."

"Oh, the folly of youth," Remus said, shaking his head, but he made no further comment.

The next day, Harry and Ginny eagerly headed back to the Burrow. They found Luna already waiting for them, having sent her a message via Hedwig the previous night.

"Your mother has already left," Luna said by way of greeting. "She said to tell you that she'll be back about six and asked you to have dinner waiting."

"That's no problem," Ginny confirmed. "I guess that gives us all day to enjoy ourselves."

"Indeed. What do you want to do first?" Luna asked.

Ginny didn't immediately answer, but instead started sprinting towards the river.

"Swimming!" she yelled over her shoulder, pulling her t-shirt off as she ran.

"Cheat!" she heard Harry and Luna shout simultaneously and glancing back she saw them running after her, clothes flying as they chased her.

It proved to be a wonderful day. Any awkwardness the three of them had the previous day had completely vanished, and they were able to relax and enjoy themselves in complete freedom. The weather continued to be resplendently hot, and they spent their time swimming, sun-bathing or just talking. They brought the wireless out from the house and Luna, to the amazement of Ginny, actually found a station that played decent music.

Much to the girls' amusement, Harry began an obsession that day that would stay with him for the rest of his life. When they had ideally talked about what to have for lunch, Harry had immediately declared that it was the perfect weather for a Muggle form of cooking called barbecue. To Ginny and Luna, this appeared to be simply just grilling various meats outside, but Harry insisted there was an art to it. He immediately set up an improvised grill near the house and, after some searching through Molly's larder, emerged with a plateful of sausages and some pork chops which he proceeded to cook on his makeshift facilities.

Harry learnt many things about barbecuing that day, not least that you should not stand anywhere near spitting meat when you're not wearing any clothing. The girls both declared his efforts perfectly edible, but that wasn't nearly good enough for him. The next day, he dragged them all (fully clothed, fortunately) to the Ottery St Catchpole's local supermarket and went on a spending spree. Not only did he buy a proper grill, but also an assortment of meats, salads and condiments sufficient to feed a small army. Several bags of charcoal were purchased, as well as a crate of bottled lager, the girl on the checkout apparently more than willing to believe Harry was overage, and even hinted that if they were having a party she'd like an invite, much to Ginny's annoyance.

Lunch that day proved to be rather spectacular. Harry had marinated the chicken legs in a tangy sauce that was delicious, his sausages were juicy and cooked to perfection and his cheese and mushroom smothered burgers to die for. He also cut up a load of peppers, tomatoes, onions and mushrooms, mounted them on a skewer and roasted them on the grill. By the time they had finished eating, Ginny and Luna were incapable of doing anything apart from lounging in the sunshine and moaning that they'd eaten too much. A few ice-cold beers did help their digestion, however.

The next two days continued in a similar vein, however, come Friday, which was the last weekday of the holidays, they decided that they would do something special. Hedwig, Pigwidgeon and even Errol were pressed into service and invites were sent out to friends and family, inviting them to a party that evening. Replies came back surprisingly quickly, and nearly everyone they invited seemed willing and able to drop whatever they were doing and attend.

A further trip to the supermarket was undertaken and the shelves were practically stripped bare. It was fortunate that Harry was permitted to do magic outside of school otherwise transporting their haul would have been difficult. As it was, a few discrete Shrinking Charms out of the view of the Muggles solved their problems. They headed home and began to prepare.

Harry's cooking operation had by now expanded to two full-sized grills which between them knocked out enough heat to keep an adult Chinese Fireball dragon happy. He was a whirlwind of activity, preparing his coatings and marinades, cutting the meats and building up his fire ready for lighting. Ginny placed herself in charge of the side-salads and helped prepare the vegetables for roasting. Luna, unsurprisingly, took charge of the deserts which were mostly fruit and ice-cream based. Beer and wine were cooled, tables and chairs were set out and the wireless was placed in a central location. They were ready.

Molly and Arthur, who had been advised of the party beforehand, returned home around five o'clock and were able to lend a hand. Molly busied herself getting out plates, glasses and cutlery, while Arthur attempted to help with the barbecue. It was around ten minutes later before Ginny tactfully managed to get her dad to do other things and leave her poor boyfriend to get on with cooking in peace.

Unsurprisingly, the first arrivals were Percy and Audrey, for whom punctuality was next to godliness. They brought several bottles with them, including a Muggle drink called Pimm's which Ginny took an immediate liking to. A large pitcher of the stuff mixed with lemonade was made up, and mint, orange slices and strawberries added. Served over ice, it was simply the perfect summer drink.

Next to arrive was Hermione and her boyfriend Eddie. Luna was particularly pleased to see her friend and the girls were soon huddled in conversation. Eddie elected to help Harry on the grill and fortunately, no doubt due to his Muggle upbringing, was of considerably more help than Arthur had been. Bill and Fleur were next, closely followed by Remus and Tonks. Arriving fashionably late in one large group was Fred and George accompanied by their girlfriends Angelina and Alicia. With them were the twins' friend Lee Jordan and his date Katie Bell.

The party was soon in full swing. Harry's cooking was universally praised and Molly was particularly impressed with the honey and mustard glaze he had used on his pork chops. Everyone ate entirely more than was good for them, before the music was turned up and some of the couples started dancing. To add to the ambiance, Bill conjured up several long streams of magical lights which he draped in the surrounding trees. Drinks were consumed, and everyone was having a wonderful time, even if Lee Jordan and Angelina Johnson did get into a heated argument about Quidditch, which came dangerously close to blows.

With her back to a conveniently sited tree, Ginny stretched her legs out before her and delicately sucked on a strawberry she had just fished out of her glass of Pimm's. A second later, Harry, with a bottle of lager in his hand, appeared and sat beside her. By now, darkness had fallen and the stars were out. They sat and watched the dancing couples in contentment.

"Now this is the way to do a party," Harry said eventually, a wide smile on his face.

"Yeah, I think this one's going to go down as the most successful bash ever held at the Burrow. Hell, the twin's haven't even felt the need to blow anything up yet. That's got to be a record!" she giggled.

"That might partly be down to the fact I saw Fred and Alicia vanish off towards the orchard a while back. I think he had other things on his mind other than blowing things up," Harry smirked.

"This is what it's all about," Ginny decided, waving her hand at the assembled guests. "This is why we have to make sure bastards like Voldemort never win. Can you imagine him or any of his arse-kissing followers having a party like this?"

"Nah, it goes against everything Voldemort believes in," Harry agreed. "This party is like a celebration of life. Good food and drink, music, dancing, and a group of friends who want nothing more than to be with each other. This is why we fight; so everyone we love and care about can live their lives and actually enjoy themselves. That really is something worth fighting for."

"I love you," Ginny said simply.

"And I love you, too," Harry replied before leaning over and kissing her tenderly.

"You know, your family's orchard is a fair old size. I'm sure we could find a quite spot away from Fred and Alicia…" Harry suggested hopefully.

Laughing wickedly, Ginny dragged Harry to his feet and pulled him towards the woods.

* * *

Further Authors Note

For shame, Brennus, I hear you cry, is this going to end up as some depraved Harry/Ginny/Luna tale? Will my work be banished to the Flaming Nargles site soon? Have I lost the plot?

Well, I do have to say that I had a good reason for wanting to include the threesome's nuddy swim. A few years ago, I saw a BBC Four documentary about my favourite artist, Kit Williams. Older readers may remember him as the creator of a magical illustrated puzzle book called 'Masquerade' in which were hidden clues to the location of a fabulous solid gold hare which Kit buried somewhere in Britain. Personally, I was never into the treasure hunting side of it, but loved the artwork.

Anyway, in this documentary, Kit described growing up in a part of England called Romney Marsh, an area of intersecting rivers and dykes, where it was perfectly normal (in the fifties) for both adults and children to swim naked. The BBC showed a trio of young people running through the reeds and splashing about in the water to illustrate this part, and I always thought that it seemed wonderfully liberating and free to be able do that, with an added undercurrent of excitement that always accompanies a teenager's first sexual awakenings. The young man in the film had black hair, while one of the girls was a redhead. Sadly, the second girl didn't have dirty-blond hair.


	8. Chapter 8 – Carouselambra

**Chapter 8 – Carouselambra **

AN

If you're wondering about the strange chapter title, I've reverted to naming the last few chapters in homage to the mighty Led Zeppelin. 'Carouselambra' is one of my favourite tracks from their last album, 'In through the outdoor' and just seemed to fit, in my opinion.

In other news, the final two chapters have already been beta'd, so I expect the whole story will be posted within a fortnight, if not sooner. Hopefully, I'll then have a bit more luck in writing something new!

Huge thanks as always to the wonderful Arnel.

* * *

Ginny breathed in the familiar smell of the steam that was billowing from the Hogwarts Express. The platform around her was the usual chaotic mass of bodies, all either attempting to get onto the train or to catch a last glimpse of a loved one before they left for the new school term.

"Now, you will write regularly, won't you, dear?" her mother asked. She seemed to have already worked herself up into a state.

"Don't I always, Mum?" Ginny pointed out.

"Yes, yes, you do. You're such a good girl, Ginny. I'm proud of you, you know," Molly said, tears beginning to form in her eyes.

"Mum, what's got into you? I'll see you at Christmas. You've never been this upset at seeing me off, not even in my first year," Ginny protested.

"I know, it's just that this year you won't have any of your brothers there to look after you," Molly replied, distress evident on her face.

Ginny looked at her mother's sorrowful expression and felt a knot form in her stomach. There was still no news about Ron, and she knew her parents were starting to give up hope.

"Don't worry, Harry will be there to keep an eye on me," Ginny said. Not that she needed him to look after her, but she knew the comment would reassure her mother.

"Yes, of course he will. I'm surprised we haven't seen him here on the platform," Molly noted.

"You forget, Eva's in charge now so you can bet that they got here early," Ginny laughed.

"Oh, yes. She's a fine woman, is Eva. I'm glad she's there to look after Harry while Sirius can't," Molly said sadly.

Ginny was about to reply but the whistle sounded, signifying that the train was about to leave. Quickly, she hugged and kissed her mother before leaping onto the express. From the carriage door window, she was able to wave goodbye as the train pulled off from the platform. Sighing deeply, she went in search of the love of her life.

She found Harry in a compartment towards the rear of the train. Seated with him were Luna, Hermione and Eddie. Gratefully, she flopped down onto the seat next to Harry.

"Hi, beautiful," he greeted her. "I was starting to get worried."

"I felt honour-bound to continue the proud Weasley tradition of leaving everything to the last minute," she replied, accepting a kiss on the cheek from him.

"Don't worry, Ginny," Luna smiled. "If you'd missed the train I would have looked after Harry for you this term."

"Thanks," Ginny replied, doing her best to scowl at her friend. Sadly, she couldn't pull off anything too intimidating and Luna just chuckled at her.

Shaking her head, Ginny snuggled up to Harry. All the sunbathing they had done during the previous week had done him good. Rather than the somewhat pale complexion he normally had, he was now a healthy bronze colour which was complemented his dark hair. Ginny had a momentary flashback of him lazing on the grass near the Burrow, his eyes closed while he soaked in the sunshine, his lean, muscular body practically gleaming. It was all she could do not to jump him then and there.

Of course, the sun had also tanned her skin a golden brown, although it did have the undesirable effect of turning her freckles a darker shade of brown, and therefore making them much more noticeable. Harry insisted this was a very sexy look for her, but she remained unconvinced.

Strangely, Luna had not tanned, at all. Instead, she seemed to develop a bright glow to her, like her skin had absorbed the sunshine and it was now leaking back through her pours, making her virtually shine. Ginny recalled her friend dancing naked in the long grass near the Burrow, her arms waving in time to the music coming from their old wireless set and a look of perfect contentment on her face. Truly, it had been a magical end to the summer.

"So, did you hear who got Head Boy and Girl?" Hermione asked without any preamble, rousing Ginny from her recollections. "Marcus Belby and Cho Chang! Two Ravenclaws!"

"I don't think it's particularly unfair," Eddie protested. "After all, two Gryffindors are shoe-ins for the position next year."

"Who?" asked Harry quizzically.

"You and Hermione, dumb-dumb," Ginny giggled.

"Oh, really?" Harry questioned doubtfully.

"Harry, if you're not made Head Boy I suspect there will be a minor uprising amongst most of the pupils. Don't you realise just how popular you are?" Hermione asked in exasperation.

"Especially amongst the girls," Luna pointed out.

Harry gulped.

"Anyway, we'd better get to the prefects meeting," Hermione announced. "I'll see you soon, Eddie."

She gave her boyfriend a quick kiss, before standing and looking at Harry and Ginny expectantly. Sighing, they both climbed to their feet and followed her out of the compartment.

"Say, Hermione," Ginny began as they walked down the corridor. "I was just thinking, I know you and Harry are supposed to patrol together, but I was wondering if you'd be happy to switch with me?"

Hermione turned and looked at Ginny with a prim expression on her face. "That would be against the rules, Ginny," she said coolly.

Ginny was about to try and argue with her friend, but Harry interrupted.

"Okay, what's it going to take?" he asked.

"What do you mean?" Hermione replied innocently.

"What's it going to take for you to agree to this? What is it you're after?" Harry asked in a resigned voice.

"I'll have you know I'm above bribery," she sniffed, before a sly smile came onto her face. "However, if you wanted to put me in an agreeable mood, you could make Eddie one of the senior instructors for the H.D.A. That would look very good on his Curriculum Vitae."

"And if I agree to that, you'll agree to swap patrol schedules with Ginny?" Harry persisted.

"As long as the two of you don't do anything to disgrace our House, then I could probably see my way to agreeing to that," she replied loftily.

"Deal," Harry agreed. "Blimey, Hermione, when did you let your inner Slytherin come out to play?"

"Blame it on me spending so much time with you and Ginny," Hermione chortled. "You're a bad influence on me."

"Yeah, and how grateful is Eddie for that?" Ginny smirked.

Hermione said nothing, but she did look rather smug.

By this point, they had reached the compartment the prefects' meeting was being held in and they entered to find most of the others were already there. Nearly all the other prefects greeted them warmly, in Cho and Susan Bone's case they greeted Harry a little too warmly for Ginny's taste, but there was one noticeably exception to this general bonhomie.

"Good grief, just when I think this school couldn't sink any lower, they go and make Potty and the Weaselette prefects! It's enough to turn your stomach," a hated voice spat.

"That's enough, Malfoy," Cho said sternly. "I will not tolerate you insulting other prefects!"

"Oh, didn't you hear, Chang? Old Potty here is off the market now. Quite why he would pick a Knutless pauper like Weasley to get betrothed to, I have no idea. He probably got her up the duff, or something," Draco sneered.

Beside her, Ginny could see Harry clenching his fists and starting to take a step towards Malfoy, but she held him back. Calmly, she turned towards the blond Slytherin.

"Really, Draco, you're one to talk about being Knutless. After all, I hear you've barely got two Knuts to rub together now," Ginny said smugly.

"What are you talking about, you cow," Pansy Parkinson, Draco's fellow sixth-year prefect, demanded. "Everybody knows that the Malfoys are one of the richest families in the country!"

"Oh, didn't you hear, Pansy? The Ministry confiscated most of the Malfoy's wealth," Harry said, picking up on what Ginny was doing, "and I hear that terrible fire at Malfoy Manor did a lot of awfully expensive damage, too. How are the repairs going, Draco?"

"Perhaps iz mummy 'as decided it iz not worth repairing and 'as better things to do," Ginny said in a passible imitation of Fleur's accent.

"What the hell are you talking about?" Draco snarled. "What do you know about my mother?"

"Well, I heard a rumour that she had taken what was left of the family fortune and buggered off to the south of France with some dishy wizard," Ginny replied innocently. "Someone said that you were living in the ruins of Malfoy Manor scraping by on whatever funds you had in your trust account. You'll have to be careful what you spend from now on, Draco. After all, it's not like there's any gold left to top up that account anymore. You'll just have to manage."

"Is this true?" Pansy demanded.

"Of course it's not true," Draco spat. "I have loads of money left. And, for your information, Weasley, my mother is just taking a short holiday in France while she grieves for my father who was murdered by that bitch Bones."

"Oi, watch what you're saying about my aunt, Malfoy," Susan Bones growled, leaping to her feet.

"Your mother must truly be distraught," Ginny replied loftily. "After all, how long has she been in France? One month? Two?"

"It's lucky she had that kind French bloke to look after her," Harry added with a barely concealed smirk.

"Shut up, you bastard," Draco snarled. "She'll be back soon and, when she does, I'll be rolling in money again!"

"You mean until she does, you're poor?" Pansy demanded, a horrified look on her face.

"No! Damn it, girl, when has a Malfoy ever been poor?" he raged.

"First time for everything," Harry said mildly.

"Look, can we please get this meeting started?" Marcus Belby interrupted. "We'll be at Hogwarts before we finish, at this rate!"

"Sorry, Marcus," Harry said. "I'm sure we can pick this conversation up with Draco later."

Ginny bit her lip to stop herself giggling at Malfoy's furious expression. Even more amusing was the way Pansy was subtly edging away from the boy. Clearly, it hadn't been Draco's looks that had attracted the girl to the previously wealthy young wizard.

The meeting was, fortunately, not too protracted, and they were able to leave after only half-an-hour. Harry and Hermione had been given the first shift for patrolling the train, which Hermione willingly agreed to switch with Ginny, so as soon as they finished the meeting they started to wander up and down the carriages, greeting people they knew as they went. It wasn't long before trouble found them, however.

"I better not bloody hear you two spewing lies about my family again!" Draco raged as he lunged at them from one of the compartments.

"Lies? What lies did we tell, Draco?" Ginny asked innocently.

"All that bullshit about me being poor and my mother having run away! It's all crap, I tell you!" Draco spat. He was physically trembling he was so angry.

"Well, I'm sure if you keep throwing Galleons about like you've always done, then those rumours will soon vanish," Harry suggested mildly. "I mean, you're practically legendary for how much you spend on an average Hogsmeade weekend. Once you start splashing cash around everyone will believe that you're still rich."

Draco said nothing, but looked even angrier than before.

"Likewise, I'm sure that once you start getting loads of letters and parcels from mummy, everyone will know Mrs Malfoy is still about," Ginny added.

"Oh, but is she still Mrs Malfoy, though?" Harry asked with exaggerated curiosity. "Has she reverted back to being a Black?"

"Hmm, good point, Harry. But as Sirius, your godfather, is currently head of the ancient and noble house of Black, so wouldn't she need his permission to change her name?" Ginny pondered.

"Possibly, but I'm sure Sirius would give permission," Harry said confidently, "after all, far better to be a Black then a Malfoy, don't you think?"

"I'll get you. I'll get both of you," Draco snarled, nearly foaming at the mouth such was his rage. "You'll see! By the end of this term I swear you'll both be dead and that idiot of a Headmaster, too. I just want you to remember, just before you die, that it was me that caused it!"

Without another word, Draco turned and stormed away. Harry and Ginny watched him go with amusement.

"Oh, Dracky-poo is all by his lonesome. Do you think his little gang have all deserted him now he's poor?" Ginny laughed.

"Probably, I doubt even Crabbe or Goyle would hang round that idiot without getting paid for it," Harry snorted. "Still, it sounds like he's up to something again. Do you think Draco has another cunning plan?"

"I hope it's better than his last one was," Ginny sniffed. "That was full of more holes than that Swiss cheese we had for tea the other day."

"Maybe, but I still think we'd better keep an eye on him," Harry said thoughtfully. "He's lost virtually everything now and has very little incentive not to take a few risks. That could make him dangerous."

"He'll never be as dangerous as us though, my love," Ginny replied fiercely. "But you're right, we should watch him, and if he tries to mess with us one more time…"

"…we'll make sure he ends up just like his father," Harry completed her sentence.

"If he's lucky," she agreed grimly.

HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP

The rest of the journey was uneventful, and they soon arrived back at Hogwarts. Ginny had a curious sense of anti-climax as she took her seat in the Great Hall to witness that year's Sorting. The Sorting Hat again sang a song requesting unity among the Houses, and the usual gaggle of terrified firsties took their turns in being labelled for the rest of the school lives. Ginny couldn't help but feel slightly bored by the whole thing. It seemed she was living her life impatiently waiting for the holidays.

The food was as good as ever, thankfully, and the company was better. She and Harry spent most of the meal trying to get Hermione to confess just how far her relationship with Eddie had progressed, but she remained maddeningly tight-lipped. Only when Ginny suggested the couple had got as far as light bondage and female domination did they get an angry reaction, although, as Harry later pointed out, at no point did Hermione actually deny doing any of the things they accused her of.

"I always had her down as a dominatrix," he'd said sagely.

It was with a sense of relief that the feast ended and they were allowed to head to the common room. Harry helped Ginny heard the fresh crop of Gryffindors to their new home and actually tried to give them some useful advice about the school as they went, something they both felt was lacking during their own introductions.

With the firsties safely delivered and their prefect duties for the night completed, they were able to relax. Harry was immediately accosted by a number of pupils who wanted to know if the H.D.A. would be running again that year, so Ginny left him to it. Feeling strangely weary, she decided to head up to the dormitory. Before she managed to make it up the stairs, however, she was intercepted by a familiar face.

"Hi, Ginny, have you had a good summer?" Dean Thomas asked, stepping in front of her.

"Oh, hiya, Dean. Yeah, I've had a great summer break. How about you?" she replied.

"Pretty good," he confirmed. "I read about you and Harry getting betrothed in the Daily Prophet. Was that true?"

"Yes, the agreement was drawn up right at the beginning of the holidays and it was all signed up before Harry's godfather left on his honeymoon," Ginny confirmed.

"Oh, right," Dean said looking a bit crestfallen. "How do you feel about that?"

"How do I feel about it? Why, I'm over the moon," Ginny replied with a frown. "Why do you ask?"

"Well, it was just that from the article I got the impression that you might not have had much say in the agreement," Dean explained. "I mean, Harry's the Boy Who Lived, isn't he? I bet he gets anything he wants, no matter what anyone else thinks."

"The arrangement was completely mutual, I can assure you," Ginny said coldly, not liking what Dean was suggesting. "Harry and I both fought for this betrothal, and we're ecstatic that it's all been agreed. I can't believe you think that Harry would force me into anything! You should know him better than that."

"Oh, of course," Dean said hastily. "No, I just wanted to make sure that you hadn't been pressured into anything. I mean, your family might have been insistent that you went through with it, for instance. After all, you're a bit young to be tied down to one bloke, Ginny. You should be playing the field, a bit. What happens if you find yourself married and then discover you don't like Harry as much as you though you did? You should get a bit more experience with different blokes."

"What, blokes like you, you mean?" Ginny asked, her temper beginning to rise.

"I'm just saying you shouldn't tie yourself down too soon," Dean explained. "You're a beautiful girl, Ginny, you don't want to become an old, married maid before your time."

"Thank you for that _wonderful_ advice," Ginny growled, "and can I say how _delighted _that God's gift to women so _kindly_ offered to give me the benefit of his _vast _experience with females. Forgive me if I don't instantly drop my knickers and bend over for you!"

"Ginny, I didn't mean…" Dean began.

"What's going on over here?" Harry demanded, striding over to where Ginny and Dean were standing. "Why are you upsetting Ginny?"

"Oh, Dean was just telling me how a beautiful young girl such as myself shouldn't get tied down too early," Ginny explained sarcastically. "I think he was offering to widen my horizons, a bit."

Harry' face began to redden as he confronted Dean.

"No, that's not what I mean, at all!" Dean said hurriedly. "It's just the stories in the papers kind of suggested that this betrothal thing might have been put in place by Ginny's parents and I just wanted to make sure she was okay with that."

"Oh, and you were going to rescue her from big, bad Harry Potter, we're you? The horrid ogre who forced poor little Ginny Weasley to marry him, is that it?" Harry spat.

Ginny glared at Dean, who by now was beginning to realise that he'd made a major error of judgement. The dark-skinned boy began to back up rapidly, his hands held up in supplication.

"Look, I'm sorry! I really didn't mean anything by it, honest!" Dean protested.

"Did you really think Harry would ever force me to do anything against my will?" Ginny demanded angrily.

"Hell, did you think that Ginny would just meekly agree to it?" Harry shouted. "She's not some weak-willed, push-over, you know!"

"I know! I…" Dean stammered.

"If you ever make such insinuations against Harry again I'll have personally castrate you and mount your balls on a plaque on the wall. Got it?" Ginny snarled.

"I'm sorry!" Dean cried and, wisely, turned tail and ran. They stood and watched him sprint out of the room.

"Prick," Harry muttered.

"Oh, don't worry about him, Harry," Ginny sighed. "I suspect we'll both get people making advances at us in the next couple of weeks."

"Why?" Harry asked in surprise. "I thought that getting betrothed was meant to stop that sort of thing."

"Yeah, but think about it. If you tell some people that they can't have something, I guarantee that's the one thing that they'll then want the most. We, my love, have just become forbidden fruit to every boy and girl in this castle, and I suspect that a few of them will decide that they want to try and get themselves a bite," she explained in a resigned voice.

"Bugger, I see your point," he lamented. "So, what can we do about it, short of hexing anyone who looks at us twice?"

"Well… we could start by letting everyone know that we really are serious about this relationship," Ginny pondered.

"How do you suggest we do that?" he asked.

"Oh, how about some very public shows of affection?" she suggested seductively.

Harry snuck a quick glace around the common room before breaking into a grin.

"We do appear to have quite a lot of people still watching us," he acknowledged, "and there's no time like the present."

"My thoughts exactly," Ginny smirked before reaching up and threaded her fingers around the back of his neck. She pulled his head down and pressed her lips to his fiercely. Harry responded immediately, and wrapped his arms around her, his hands caressing her lower back tantalisingly. Their tongues began to caress each other's in an erotic dance of passion. It was some time before they could bring themselves to break apart.

"Night-night, my love," Ginny declared in a husky voice.

"Good night, Ginny. I love you," Harry replied, his emerald-green eyes burning with desire.

Ginny let her fingers brush seductively down his chest, before turning and making her way up the stairs to her dormitory. Halfway up, she stopped looked back. Seeing him still standing watching her assent up the stairs, she blew him a kiss before continuing her way up. Once she entered the fifth-year girls' dormitory she made her way over to her bed and grabbed one of the corner bedposts for support. Letting out an explosive breath, she tried to calm herself down. Damn, that boy could kiss!

A few seconds later, her room-mates, Demelza Robins and Vicky Frobisher, came charging into the room.

"Oh, my god!" Vicky declared. "Ginny, that kiss you gave Harry Potter was nearly bloody pornographic!"

"Yeah, you lucky cow!" Demelza laughed. "That was quite a show you two put on down there."

"Just marking my territory," Ginny replied smugly. "I just want everyone to know that Harry and I really are betrothed and that we are madly in love with each other. Hopefully, everyone will have got the message by now."

"I'll say," Vicky muttered. "What was going on with you and Dean Thomas earlier, anyway? I thought Harry was going to kill him for a moment, he was so mad."

"Oh, Thomas thought he'd test how serious we were about the betrothal," Ginny sniffed. "He's lucky he didn't get his bits handed to him on a platter."

"Stupid prat," Demelza snorted. "Everyone knows how loopy you two are about each other. Typical bloody arrogant male, he can't stand to think that a girl might like another bloke more than him!"

"I thought you liked Dean?" Vicky said to her dark-haired friend.

"Yeah, I did, at least until he started snogging that slag Fay Dunbar! I ask you, that girl has had more traffic than Hogsmeade's main crossroads."

"And he was with Parvati before that, and Lavender before her," Ginny pointed out.

"Yeah, he chases anything in a skirt," Demelza snorted. "Like he'd ever have a chance with you!"

"What do you mean?" Ginny asked.

"I mean, you're way out of his class," Demelza exclaimed. "You're the sexist girl in the whole of Hogwarts."

"What, short, freckly little me?" Ginny laughed dismissively. "Yeah, right!"

"Do you realise how much you've grown in the last year?" Vicky asked in exasperation. "True, at the start of our third year you were this cute, titchy little thing, but now look at you! You've grown at least three or four inches, you've lost the last of your puppy-fat and you've developed a figure to kill for!"

"Yeah, if you weren't such a good mate I'd probably hate you," Demelza smirked.

"Your whole bearing has changed, too. You use to be this quiet little thing who wouldn't say boo to a goose, but now you're much more confident and grown-up. You've turned into a real lady, Ginny," Vicky explained.

"That's very true, Gin," Demelza agreed, "and do you know what I think is behind a lot of this? Harry. Ever since you started going out with him, you've really come out of your shell. It's like you were happy to coast along before, but now you seem to have this real purpose and drive to everything you do."

"Well… I guess that's true," Ginny admitted. "I mean, if I hadn't got together with Harry, I would have probably dated other boys, but it wouldn't have been the same. Harry has had this role thrust upon him, like he's supposed to be the saviour of the whole Wizarding world, or something. Most people in his position would have either crumbled into a heap, or let it go to their heads, but Harry has just ploughed on, doing his best despite being given sod-all help by those in authority. That stupid Triwizard Tournament a while back was nearly the straw that broke the camel's back. I'm not being immodest in saying that if I hadn't helped him back then I don't think he would have got through it in one piece. Since then it's just been like we're this team, you know? Together, it just feels like we can do anything we set our minds to."

"Potter's bloody lucky to have you, Ginny," Vicky declared.

"Yeah, I mean, I know I always joke about trying to steal him from you, but I know I wouldn't last five minutes with him," Demelza said. "I saw a picture in the papers of you two sitting up on a stage when they announced the new Minister for Magic, looking for all the world like you totally belonged there. Honestly, if that were me, I'd be so far out of my depth that they'd have to send Merpeople down to find me."

"It's amazing how quickly you can get use to that sort of thing," Ginny pondered. "I didn't think twice about being up there."

"Exactly, Potter needs a special kind of girl in his life, and there aren't that many people who can step into that role. It just so happens that you're one of those people that can," Vicky noted.

"Thanks," Ginny said simply, unsure exactly how to reply to her friends. They did actually have a point, she realised. As soon as she had started to help Harry she had really stepped out of the shadows. Truth be told, she liked how things were now. She was where the action was and was making a real difference to the world. There was no way she could ever go back to the way things were. Deep in thought, she started to remove her clothes in preparation for bed. Carefully, she removed her blouse and skirt, hanging them up tidily in her wardrobe, before selecting a grey-checked night shirt that she particularly liked. She'd just removed her bra and was pulling down her knickers when a cry from behind her caused her to look round.

"Bloody hell, Ginny!" Demelza exclaimed. "Your suntan!"

"Yeah, I managed to get a solid week of sunbathing in during the holidays," Ginny told her friend happily. "I've tanned nicely, haven't I?"

"I'll say. I'm particularly impressed in the complete absence of tan lines, too," Demelza smirked.

Oops, thought Ginny.

"Merlin, look at your boobs! You've got a perfect, uninterrupted tan, everywhere. Have you been indulging in a bit of nude sunbathing, Ginny?" Vicky demanded in an amused voice.

"More to the point, I noted that the luscious Mr Potter has rather a nice tan, too. Have both of you been letting it all hang out, Gin?" Demelza asked eagerly.

"Err… we… um, might have shed a few items of clothing when no one was around," Ginny admitted nervously.

Demelza and Vicky took one look at each other and then simultaneously hurried forward and plonked themselves on Ginny's bed.

"Tell us everything!" Demelza demanded, seemingly oblivious to the fact Ginny was standing stark naked in front of them.

Ginny sighed. So much for getting an early night.

HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP

The next day, Harry, Ginny and Hermione made their way down to breakfast. Harry and Ginny had already been up for some time so they could keep up with their physical fitness regime, and Ginny was now absolutely starving. She hurried to find a seat at the Gryffindor table and grabbed a nearby platter.

"Sausages," she declared decisively. "Today is definitely a sausage day."

"How can you eat so much and still have such a slim figure?" Hermione demanded. "You Weasleys must have a highly active metabolism, or something."

"If you got out of bed and joined us for some good, hard exercise, you could eat whatever you want, too," Ginny replied, waving a half-eaten sausage at her friend.

"Don't wave that banger at me, it might explode," Hermione deadpanned.

"Just be thankful it's not Harry waving his sausage at you. It could traumatise you for life," Ginny grinned.

"Oh, I don't know. I might quite like the experience," Hermione replied with a smirk.

"Hermione!" Harry protested. "You know, I think you were right. Ginny is corrupting you."

"Oh, I don't know about that. After all, I like a nice sausage as much as the next girl," Hermione replied innocently.

"Gah! I'm not listening, I'm not listening," Harry moaned, clamping his hands over his ears.

Fortunately, Harry's delicate sensibilities were saved by Professor McGonagall, who appeared handing out this year's timetables. As soon as she reached Ginny, she paused.

"Miss Weasley, I have a special letter for you here," the stern teacher announced, producing an envelope and handing it to Ginny. "I believe it's in connection to that request you made to me at the end of last term."

"Thank you, Professor," Ginny said enthusiastically, grabbing the envelope.

"What request is this?" Harry asked in puzzlement as soon as McGonagall had moved on.

"Oh, just a little surprise I was planning," Ginny replied while scanning the letter she had just been handed, before she shrieked happily. "Yes! They said yes!"

"They said yes to what?" Hermione demanded, clearly curious at what had got her friend so excited.

"The School Board has agreed that I can take my O.W.L.s early. I'll be sitting them just before Christmas," Ginny explained. "Luna requested to do the same thing, so hopefully she's got a letter, too."

"Okay, I'm sure there's an obvious answer that I'm missing here, but why?" Harry asked.

"Because if I pass my O.W.L.s at Christmas, I can then move onto N.E.W.T. studies for the rest of the year. I intend to take those exams at the same time as you two so I can graduate at the same time. I don't fancy being stuck here by myself for another year," she explained.

"So, you'll leave school at the same time as me? Ginny, that's great!" Harry said enthusiastically.

"Well, I can certainly see why you would want to do that if you could, but are you capable of taking your exams early?" Hermione asked doubtfully.

"Hermione, whose memories have a got stored up here?" Ginny asked, tapping her forehead with her finger.

"Oh, yes, I quite forgot about that," Hermione acknowledged sheepishly.

"It's brilliant, that's what it is," Harry insisted. "I would have hated being apart from you for a whole year."

"Me, too, love," Ginny replied, kissing him on the cheek, "but there is one thing you could do for me to help me through this."

"Anything," he replied ardently.

"Pass me that plate of kippers, would you?" she said with a wink.

"Nice to be useful, isn't it?" Harry laughed, reaching for the plate.

HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP

Ginny stared in frustration at the slip of paper that Harry had been handed at dinner, requesting both of them to report to the Headmaster's office at seven p.m. that night. Although both knew that such a request was going to be forthcoming, it was still an unwanted distraction.

As they still had a quarter of an hour before they needed to set off, they had ensconced themselves in a quiet corner of the common room to discuss tactics for the meeting.

"So, are we still going to follow the plan we agreed back at Grimmauld Place?" Harry asked.

"I don't see why not," Ginny responded. "Nothing's changed as far as I can see, and neither of us really trusts Dumbledore anymore."

"Okay, so we confirm that the Soul Bonding destroyed the Horcrux in me, but we say nothing about the other three that Tabitha the dragon so kindly evaporated for us," he summarized.

"I think it's for the best. I know Dumbles said he was satisfied that you no longer had to sacrifice yourself in order to defeat Voldemort, but I still don't totally trust him. The wording of that bloody prophecy is just a bit too vague for my liking. I can just see Dumbledore taking that 'neither can live while the other survives' bit literally and deciding that you and snake-features need to perish," Ginny snorted.

"But you've taken that bit out of context," Harry objected. "If you start taking random bits of the bloody thing and analysing them, you could get it to mean anything you wanted. Besides, he knows about the Soul Bond. He knows that by sacrificing me he would be as good as murdering you."

"Do you think that would matter to him? Oh, I'm sure he would deeply regret doing it, but the old bastard would sacrifice his own mother if he felt it was the right thing to do. No, he long since stopped putting too much value on the individual. As long as the Wizarding world is protected, no crime is unjustifiable in his eyes," she said angrily.

"Okay, but what about R.A.B? Do we mention that to him? After all, we're no closer to figuring out who this person was," Harry pointed out.

"True, but how do we bring the subject up without mentioning the Horcruxes?" Ginny demanded.

"Hmm, I'm not sure. Still, if we see an opening to broach the subject I think we should take it," he insisted.

"Agreed. Well, there's no point putting this off any longer. We might as well head up to Bumblebore's office," she said in a resigned voice.

Reluctantly, they stood and headed out of the Portrait Hole and in the direction of the Headmaster's office. They walked hand in hand, mostly in silence, until a thought occurred to Harry.

"What are we going to say about the Soul Bond if Dumbledore asks?" he queried. "I mean, he's bound to want to know all about it, isn't he."

"Yup, the nosey old coot is bound to stick his beak in," she agreed. Albus Dumbledore really wasn't in her good books, at present. "I don't see the harm in telling him the truth about this, though. We'll tell him it worked perfectly, but just wasn't quite what we were expecting."

"You're still happy we did it though, aren't you?" Harry asked hurriedly.

"Oh, Merlin, yes! If anything it turned out better than I was expecting. I was kind of worried that it would bind us too closely together and that we'd lose our sense of individuality, but that hasn't happened at all," she explained.

"Yeah, the bond is a lot subtler than I was expecting," Harry agreed. "I did have this awful fear that we'd end up hearing each other's thoughts and knowing exactly what each other was thinking. That really would have been too much," he huffed in relief.

"Bloody hell, that would have been a nightmare, wouldn't it?" she laughed. "We would have gone bonkers after the first week! No, even the closest of couples need a bit of separation. Merlin, if you could hear my thoughts after every time you did something wrong, you'd be afraid to move!"

"Thanks," Harry laughed, "but then again, as a bloke isn't it my job to be wrong about everything?"

"You're definitely learning, my love," Ginny giggled.

"Seriously, though, I really love what the bond does give us," Harry said with a warm smile. "Just by looking at you I can feel that you love me, and when we make love, it's indescribable!"

"Yeah," she breathed huskily. If she'd thought that sex with Harry was great before, the bond had driven the experience to new levels. The fact that she could feel the pleasure she gave to him, and vice versa, just made the whole thing truly wonderful. It was like they were on some incredible feedback loop of ecstasy that she never wanted to end. Just last week, Harry had brought her to climax just by sucking her toes! She instantly fought down the memory; now was not the time or place to start getting horny.

"I think it great that we can sense if the other's in trouble, too," Harry continued. "Just yesterday, I could feel you starting to get angry and upset at that prat Dean Thomas. I'm sure that if either of us gets into real trouble the other will know instantly."

"That could be a very useful," she agree. "By the way, did Dean have anything further to say to you last night?"

"Nah, he was in bed by the time I went up and had the curtains firmly drawn. I didn't see him in the morning, either," Harry smirked.

"I wonder how long he's going to hide from you?" Ginny speculated with a grin.

"Quite a while if he's got any sense," Harry laughed. "Mind you, he'd probably do well to avoid you, too."

"Damn right! He was acting like I was some delicate maiden who needed rescuing. If he so much as looks at me funny he'll find out exactly how delicate I am!" she said fiercely.

"I don't think he'd be that stupid. As it was, it looked like he was going to wet himself when you started yelling at him," Harry chortled.

By this time they had reached the entrance to the Headmaster's office and they approached the guarding gargoyle.

"Caramel Cobwebs'" Harry announced and the gargoyle obediently moved to one side.

"Of course, no one would ever be able to guess one of Dumbledore's cunning passwords, would they?" Ginny said sarcastically.

"Maybe your average Death Eater isn't known for their sweet tooth," Harry shrugged before stepping onto the moving stone staircase. Ginny followed him and they soon found themselves outside Dumbledore's office. Stealing themselves, they knocked on the heavy, oak door.

"Come in, Harry and Ginny," they heard the Headmaster call. Harry pushed the door open and they entered the office.

"Ah, greetings, you two," Dumbledore said warmly. "I trust you both had a good holiday?"

"We had an excellent holiday, sir," Harry replied politely.

"Wonderful. Would either of you care for some refreshments?" Dumbledore asked kindly.

"We're good, thank you," Ginny replied graciously, while secretly hoping that the old man wouldn't drag this out all evening.

"Fine. Well, I thought it would be beneficial to ask you both to come and have a chat. A lot has happened over the school holidays and we should really catch up," Dumbledore stated. "Harry, I was most upset to hear that Sirius had been incapacitated. I do hope he will be alright."

"Yes, thank you, sir," Harry responded. "He's regained consciousness a couple of times now, and the Healers are confident that he should fully awaken anytime now."

"That's splendid news, indeed," Dumbledore said with a gentle smile. "May I ask what happened to cause his most unfortunate injury in the first place?"

"I'm afraid he was experimenting with some potions and there was a bit of an accident," Harry lied smoothly. "Personally, I think Sirius was spending too much time in Fred and George's shop and he got a few wild ideas."

"Sirius always was a dedicated prankster," Albus nodded knowledgably. "Indeed, both he and your father found themselves in the middle of a number of prank-related explosions in their time, although never with such devastating results. Have you been coping by yourself?"

"I've haven't been by myself," Harry said defensively. "Eva's been looking after me wonderfully, not to mention Remus and Tonks have been there most of the time. I've also spent quite a bit of time at the Burrow and Mrs Weasley has been brilliant, too."

"Of course, I wasn't insinuating anything, Harry, I just wanted to make sure you were being cared for during this difficult time," Dumbledore insisted.

"Trust me, sir, Harry would never be neglected," Ginny interrupted. "Eva loves him like he was her own flesh and blood, and my mum practically thinks of him as one of her own. Remus and Tonks would do anything for him, too, as would nearly all of my brothers. If he was really pushed for somewhere to stay, I'm pretty sure Hermione would insist that he was taken into her family home. Basically, loads of people would be queuing up to take care of him, but then again, that's always been the case, hasn't it? There was never any need for him to be forced to live with those disgusting Dursleys."

"Now, now, Ginny, while I admit Harry's aunt and uncle weren't the nicest of sorts, the blood protections around Privet Drive offered the best defence available. While I deeply regret the suffering Harry suffered at their hands, both physical and mental, the fact that he is here today, safe and sound, is evidence enough, I think, that my choice to place him there was the right one," Dumbledore explained gently.

"Really?" Ginny spat. "You should talk to my brother Bill. He knows several ways to get around Blood wards. Besides, what would have happened if Voldemort turned up at the end of Harry's street and started killing Muggles, demanding that Harry turn himself over or he would carry on killing? Do you think Harry would have just sat there and let him get on with it?"

"No system is ever completely fool proof…" Dumbledore began.

"No, it isn't, is it? If you want my opinion, the only reason Harry was never attacked at Privet Drive was because Voldemort despised Muggle ways and never figured how to look up an address from a phone book or local government records. If Voldemort had recruited just one smart Muggle-born into his ranks, then Harry would have been mincemeat. After all, your 'protection' of a solitary, half-batty Squib would have been sod-all use, wouldn't it?"

"Miss Weasley, I…" Dumbledore tried to continue.

"Why don't you just admit it? Harry was just a weapon that you wanted to keep hidden away until it was time for him to be used. All this guff about wanting him to have a 'happy childhood' is just rubbish, isn't it?" Ginny said angrily. "You knew Harry's parents didn't get on with the Dursleys, didn't you? Hell, Petunia Dursley wouldn't even let her own sister be a bridesmaid at her wedding because she hated magic-users so much. In what life did you ever think that they would happily accept Harry into their home?"

"I have already admitted my mistakes, Miss Weasley, and I will do everything in my power to make up for my previous bad choices," Dumbledore said adamantly. "I fully accept that my belief that Harry would have to die to rid himself of the part of Voldemort's soul within him was in error. Once again, I offer my apologises for my mistaken beliefs and my assurances that I will not make such an error again. Now, on that subject, I believe the two of you completed the Soul Bonding ritual some weeks ago. May I ask how that went?"

"It went perfectly, thank you," Ginny replied snippily.

"It was totally successful," Harry confirmed. "Almost as soon as I awoke I realised that the Horcrux was gone. We paid a visit to a local pet shop and confirmed that I'm no longer a Parselmouth. I held a Cornsnake and a Royal Python, and I couldn't understand anything either of them was saying."

"That's most excellent news, Harry," Dumbledore announced before pulling out his wand and looking at Harry speculatively. "I would, however, like to cast a simple spell to ensure that Voldemort's presence in your mind is completely gone."

Harry and Ginny looked at each other doubtfully.

"I assure you, it's just a simple spell that will cause Harry no harm, whatsoever," Dumbledore promised.

"Better safe than sorry, I guess," Harry said in a resigned voice.

"If you're sure," Ginny said hesitantly, before drawing her own wand and rising from her seat. She went and stood a few feet to the side of the Headmaster.

"Miss Weasley, what are you doing?" Dumbledore asked in confusion.

"Sorry, sir, but I'm just giving us a bit of insurance. By standing here I'm ensuring that you can't hit both of us with a spell at the same time. In addition, if you cast anything unpleasant at Harry, I'll send a Blasting Curse through your left earhole," she said resolutely.

For a second, Dumbledore look offended before an expression of sorrow came onto his face. He nodded once and then silently cast a charm at Harry. A strange yellow-tinged glow appeared around Harry's head for a second, before it faded.

"Well? What did that do?" Harry asked, apparently unharmed by the spell.

"It merely established if you had any other sentient life forms within you, my boy. I am pleased to say that you have passed with flying colours. You are, at last, entirely your own person again, Harry," Dumbledore informed him with a warm smile.

Harry just nodded in an unperturbed manner. He had, after all, been totally confident that he was rid of Voldemort, so the Headmaster's assurance meant little to him. Ginny took the opportunity to sit down once again.

"A splendid turn of events," Dumbledore commented, apparently oblivious to their lack of reaction. "While I have you here, there is another matter I would like to discuss with you. You campaigned for Amelia Bones quite vigorously during the summer, did you not, Harry? And I note the pair of you were her guests at the announcement of her election win for Minister."

"Yes, that's correct. Why are you interested in that?" Harry asked warily.

"Harry, if you have any influence with Amelia, I would ask you to intercede with her on Professor Snape's behalf. As we speak, he is incarcerated in Azkaban unjustly and we need to do everything within our power to get him released," Dumbledore said intently.

"What do you mean, unjustly?" Ginny asked. "You heard Madam Bones state that all former Death Eaters had to have their past activities investigated thoroughly. Snape was a Death Eater and he needs to give an account of himself."

"Professor Snape," began Dumbledore, emphasising the title and looking at Ginny disapprovingly, "has more than made up for any transgressions he may have performed while he was younger. Severus has bravely put himself in terrible danger many times during the last war, and he most certainly does not deserve to be treated like a criminal."

"With the greatest respect, sir, that's not really for you to decide, is it?" Harry replied. "It's now law that all marked Death Eaters are enemies of the state, and must answer for their crimes without exception. Fudge was a bad Minister precisely because he overlooked laws and did favours when it suited him. You can't expect Amelia to do the same just because you say Snape doesn't deserve it. I have enormous faith in Madam Bones; if he's paid his debt to society fully, then I expect she will be happy to release Snape."

"Besides, what exactly are these 'transgressions' you mentioned, sir?" Ginny asked. "I always understood that someone had to commit some pretty terrible acts to become a Death Eater. What exactly did _Professor_ Snape do to earn his Mark?"

"What acts he was forced to perform are irrelevant," Dumbledore insisted. "If Voldemort manages to regain human form we will be in desperate need of Severus's services. It is vital that he be released and returned here to Hogwarts."

"Why?" Harry said sharply. "Why should Severus Snape be exempted from justice and the law? My understanding is the he only became a spy for our side right at the end of the war, so who knows what kind of things he got up to before then. Besides, I think we've already established that Voldemort getting a body again is pretty unlikely for a long while. I don't think we'll be needing him to spy for us anytime soon, even assuming Riddle still trusts him."

"Even if he is released, why does he need to come back here to Hogwarts?" Ginny persisted. "Snape was a horrible teacher and the appalling drop in N.E.W.T. level passes in Potions was one of the reasons Umbridge was appointed here. The man might know his subject, but he can't teach it for toffee! He's mean-spirited, short-tempered, bias, unhelpful, unapproachable and a complete bully! He has no place being anywhere near children. Besides, Professor Slughorn is here now and from the time we spent with him over the summer I can tell you he's a hundred times the teacher that Snape was."

"I'm afraid you are letting your personal dislike of Professor Snape to cloud your judgement," Dumbledore began in a stern tone before Harry interrupted.

"MY dislike of HIM?" Harry bellowed. "Snape hated my guts the second he laid eyes on me! If anyone has clouded judgement, it was him!"

"What actual use has Snape been?" Ginny demanded angrily. "Not only has his atrocious teaching style meant that the number of potential Auror recruits are at an all-time low, he's hardly been a fount of knowledge about Voldemort's activities, has he? Has he given us the names and locations of wanted Death Eaters? Did he warn us that Barty Crouch Junior was impersonating Moody and that Voldemort was attempting to return? Did he let us know that his buddy Lucius Malfoy was going to plant a hideous Dark object on me with a view to getting all the Muggle-borns killed? Hell, did he even notice that Professor Quirrell had his former boss sticking out the back of his head?"

"Professor Snape has provided much valuable information at great personal risk," Dumbledore insisted.

"But you're not going to tell us what information, are you?" Ginny challenged.

Dumbledore looked at them disapprovingly.

"Well, in that case I can't help you, Headmaster," Harry said rising to his feet. "As it stands, I see no reason for Snape not to explain to the Ministry about what he got up to during his Death Eater years. If you feel him being interrogated raises security issues, I can only suggest you take it up with Madam Bones in your capacity as Chief Warlock."

"Yes, Amelia is a sensible and honest woman, and I'm sure she'll listen to any reasonable argument that you put forward," Ginny added, also standing.

Dumbledore sighed, but just nodded in defeat. He'd lost too many arguments and made too many mistakes to try and insist on Harry's help.

Taking this gesture as a dismissal, they turned and left the office. It wasn't until they were some distance away from the office that they stopped to discuss what had just occurred.

"He seems very keen to get his little pet Death Eater back, doesn't he?" Harry speculated.

"Of course he does," Ginny responded. "Snape knows far too many of his dirty little secrets, I'll bet. Besides, Dumbledore loves gathering information and old bat-features is the perfect man to collect it for him."

"Yeah, he just doesn't like sharing that information, does he?" Harry pondered. "Do you think Snape has actually collected anything useful?"

"I doubt it. It appears he came over to our side very late in the war, only a few weeks before you blasted Voldemort out of his body for the first time. I can't think he would have had much time to do anything useful. You do know Snape was obsessed by your mum, don't you?" she asked.

"I try not to think about it," Harry shuddered.

"Very wise," Ginny laughed. "Well, I've been thinking about the timing of everything and I reckon that the only reason that Snape betrayed Voldemort was because he got wind that the Dark wanker was going to try and kill you and your family. I suppose he might just have developed a social conscience at roughly the same time, but it would be a hell of a coincidence."

"If he did come over to our side to try and protect my mum, he did a piss-poor job of it," Harry said angrily.

"Yeah, but that could be one reason why Dumbledore trusts Snape so much. He knows that Snape turned on Voldemort because he loved Lily Potter. You know how much the old goat goes on about love being the most powerful force in the universe. I can just see him being sold on Snape's integrity for that reason," she speculated.

"Great, so Snape became a traitor because he loved another man's wife. I guess it explains why he hates me so much; I'm the spitting image of my dad," Harry said.

"You're right. Still, I can't see any reason why we should help Snape. We're so close to finishing Voldemort off that we don't need him. Besides, I very much doubt Voldemort would trust Snape, at all. Any information he collected would have to be treated with suspicion," Ginny decided.

"True, we'll just let Amelia deal with the greasy git," Harry agreed. "If he's paid his debts then she'll let him go, but if not…"

"I'm sure Azkaban will be a home away from home for him," Ginny grinned.

Laughing, they headed back to the common room.


	9. Chapter 9 – In the Evening

**Chapter 9 – In the Evening**

AN

Another Zep-titled chapter (hmm, I seem to be leaning on their sublime final album 'In Through the Out Door' for song titles). 'In the Evening' is actually my all-time favourite Led Zeppelin song, just in case anyone is interested in the slightest.

I do have one thing I want to mention about this chapter. The broom cupboard scene may seem just like a bit of titillation, but I did actually have a (semi-)serious point to make here. I've read far too many soul bond stories where Harry and Ginny are bonded, and share every thought, feeling and emotion, but when Harry happens to glance in Cho Chang's direction or something, suddenly that all seems to go out of the window! Hello, if they're sharing emotions then surely Ginny would realise Harry didn't have any interest in the Chinese bint! So, here I set up a situation where Ginny can get suitably jealous, but then have the matter dealt with as I imagined it would with the bond in place. You'll be pleased to know I resisted making any jokes about Hermione becoming 'Head Girl' at this point...

Thanks as always to Arnel for her super-duper beta work.

* * *

"Hello, and welcome to this term's first meeting of the Hogwarts Defence Association," Harry greeted the assembled group loudly.

Ginny watched him proudly from the side of the stage. During the last year Harry had really grown into his role as leader of the H.D.A. and now he presented a commanding and imposing figure. The fact that even the pupils older than he listened to his words in rapt attention spoke volumes.

In truth, she'd been a bit worried about running the H.D.A. this year as she suspected that she and Harry were starting to take on too much. So far, however, her worries had been unfounded. Hermione's desire that Eddie be more involved had proved a blessing, as they had simply turned over the meetings of the lower years to them. From this point, Hermione and Eddie would teach the first through to fourth years, and she and Harry would teach the older students. It was already proving a good system.

Their prefect duties were taking up less time than she feared, too. In truth, the Marauder's Map played a big part in that, as they barely had to patrol the castle, allowing the pair of them to devote themselves to much more pleasurable activities. They did have fun occasionally interrupting couples who had decided to make use of the castle's broom cupboards, however. Frankly, if they couldn't find a better place to engage in their romantic activities, then they deserved to get busted. Harry and Ginny always used the Room of Requirement: a lot more private and they could get the room to create a large and comfortable bed for them. Much more satisfactory!

"As we've probably all been lazy over the holidays, I thought we'd kick off with some simple drills, namely Shield Charms," Harry continued. "For this exercise I'll need you all to split into pairs so that one person can cast the Shield Charm while the other fires spells at them. I'll demonstrate what I mean. Can I have a volunteer, please?"

"I'll do it, Harry!" cried Colin Creevey enthusiastically.

Ginny rolled her eyes. Although Colin was a nice bloke, his constant state of excitement was a little exhausting at times. His complete hero-worship of Harry could be a little off-putting, too. When Colin had learnt that she had become betrothed to Harry over the summer, he'd begged her to be allowed to take the photos at their wedding, when it happened. In the end, she'd agreed to his request just to shut him up. Still, Colin was pretty handy with a camera, and they could probably get his services for free. A Knut saved is a Knut earned, as they say.

By this point, Colin had scrambled onto the stage and was facing Harry with a look of glee on his face. Harry just smiled at the younger boy indulgently.

"Right, Colin, what I want you to do is simply cast a Shield Charm and I'll attempt to break it down by casting Blasting Charms at it. I'll keep my charms relatively low-powered, so if one of them gets through it shouldn't hurt you," Harry explained. "Are you ready?"

"Yeah, I'm ready," Colin confirmed happily and cast a Protego Charm in front of himself.

"Okay, I'm going to cast the first spell now," Harry warned. "_Confringo!" _

A bolt of light purple light shot from Harry's wand and impacted against Colin's shield. The shield instantly collapsed and Colin was blown backwards a good twenty feet where he impacted against the wall. Fortunately, before commencing they always cast Cushioning Charms on the walls and floor for this very eventuality.

Colin hit the wall and bounced off it vigorously. He flew forward a few yards before hitting the floor, face first, with a loud slap. Weakly, he raised his head.

"That was brilliant, Harry!" Colin announced before his head fell forward and he passed out. Harry immediately rushed to his side to check his injuries.

Fortunately, it appeared that Colin had merely been knocked unconscious and no major damage had been done. Even so, a couple of people volunteered to take him to the hospital wing to get him checked over. Ginny approached her stunned-looking boyfriend cautiously.

"I thought you were going to keep your spells relatively low-powered," she reminded him gently. "You nearly blew poor little Colin through the wall."

"I know! I did keep my spell low-powered. At least, I thought I did!" Harry protested.

"You know, we haven't exactly done a lot of spell work since you got shot of You-Know-Who out of your head," she pointed out quietly. "Do you remember that we speculated that you were using up a lot of your magical power just containing him?"

"Yeah, I remember you saying that. Do you think that now he's gone I've received a bit of a power boost?" he asked.

"More than a bit," Ginny laughed. "If that was your idea of a low-powered spell then I would hate to be around when you really cut loose!"

"You're right. I think I'd better be careful when I start casting spells in class, at least until I get use to the extra power and can control it," Harry decided.

"Good plan," she agreed. "I also think that you'd better avoid duelling anyone for a while. Not that I think you'd get many volunteers at the moment, anyway."

They turned and saw that most of the H.D.A. members were looking at Harry with a mix of awe and trepidation.

Feeling wicked, Ginny called out to the assembled group. "So, who's next to face Harry?"

She laughed as collectively they all went as white as a sheet.

HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP

It was almost half-past nine on a dull Wednesday evening as Harry and Ginny made their way up the staircase to the fourth floor. It was their night for patrol duties and they had elected to take a quick stroll around the castle before they headed to the Room of Requirement for a little fun. Besides, it would give them a chance to engage in their new hobby of broom cupboard busting.

Despite catching numerous couples engaged in various levels of activities over the previous weeks, Hogwarts amorous youngsters still seemed intent on using the poky closets for their trysts. After forcefully opening the door to a cupboard a few weeks previous and finding themselves presented with a grandstand view of Millicent Bulstrode's naked bottom, they had decided to do something about it, namely thoroughly embarrassing all those they caught.

They had therefore created the 'Wall of Shame', a large noticeboard situated in an out-of-the-way corner on the sixth floor. A few Permanent Sticking Charms had been applied to prevent anyone, teachers included, from removing it and they were in business. From that point on, they had ensured they carried a camera with them whenever they were on patrol duty. One of them would pull the door to an occupied cupboard open while the other would take a picture before the occupants could react. So far, the results they had obtained had been extremely mixed. They ranged from catching a pair of fourth year Hufflepuffs holding hands, to getting a great shot of two near-naked seventh year Slytherins going at it hammer and tongs. All the pictures religiously went on the board, and word had spread of its existence rapidly. The sixth floor now received a regular stream of visitors to check for new additions.

Quite why people still insisted on using the cupboards was a mystery to Ginny. Hogwarts was a huge castle full of little-used rooms and hidden passageways. Frankly, if people couldn't be bothered to put a little more imagination into selecting a place to go, then she had no sympathy for them.

They now had a regular route that they checked whenever on patrol that included all the most popular cupboards. To make things a bit fairer, they had decided not to use the Marauder's Map while conducting these searches, as at least it gave the courting couples a fighting chance. It also made for some interesting surprises when the doors were opened. For instance, they had caught Tamsin Applebee, a seventh year Hufflepuff, in a cupboard with a different boy on three separate occasions. They had also caught Pansy Parkinson in a cupboard with Ivan Urquhart, which suggested she probably had lost interest in Draco completely.

"Oh, I think we have some customers!" Harry crowed with delight as he tried the door handle on one of the cupboards on their regular route. "Whoever it is has placed a Locking Charm on the door, too."

"Ooh, sneaky! But not nearly sneaky enough. Did they really think we couldn't handle a simple Locking Charm? I mean, really!" Ginny snorted in disgust.

"It does kind of make you wonder what whoever it is in there is up to, doesn't it?" Harry pondered.

"One way to find out," she smirked and dispelled the charm on the door. She then rested her hand on the door handle in preparation. "Got the camera ready?" she asked.

Harry positioned himself opposite the door with the camera in his hands. "Ready when you are," he confirmed.

With a practiced twist of her hand, Ginny jerked the door open abruptly. As soon as the door was fully open there was a flash as Harry operated the camera. He grinned in triumph for a second before the smile slid off his face. Ginny heard him gasp in shock and she darted round so she could see who was in the cupboard. When she saw who the occupants were, she felt her jaw drop in amazement.

"Hermione?" Harry gasped.

There, on her knees, knelt Hermione Granger, with her blouse wide open revealing a lack of undergarments and a look of abject horror on her face. A boy Ginny recognised as Eddie from his wiry hair stood with his back to them, desperately trying to pull his trousers up. For a second, Ginny could only stare at them in surprise before her brain cleared and she burst out laughing.

Hermione's face went hard and she leapt to her feet. "What the hell do you two think you're doing?" she screeched.

"Why, we're doing our job as prefects," Harry replied, amusement clear in his voice. "You know we're meant to check each broom cupboard. It's in the rules!"

"Yes, but I didn't think you two actually did that!" Hermione shouted, sounding a bit hysterical. "I thought whenever you were on patrol you both just headed straight to the Room of Requirement and got busy."

"Hermione, who do you think it is that created the Wall of Shame on the sixth floor?" Ginny asked in delight.

"That's you?" Hermione gasped. "I thought that was Ernie and Susan from Hufflepuff."

"Nah, they're much too nice to do something like that," Harry laughed. "We, on the other hand, are evil gits who like causing mayhem. And now we have a lovely new picture to add to the wall!"

"Don't you bloody dare!" Hermione snarled, looking around for her wand.

"Oh, what's it worth for us not to, then?" Ginny teased.

"Umm, Harry, Ginny, there's no need for this, is there?" Eddie asked plaintively. He'd managed to get his trousers done up and had emerged from the cupboard sheepishly.

"Don't know about that," Harry grinned. "Two prefects, caught in a compromising position in a forbidden place. That's a very serious matter, you know."

"Gimme that camera!" Hermione yelled, lunging at Harry. Harry, with all the skills of a top-class Quidditch player, just tossed the camera to Ginny before Hermione's grasping fingers could reach it. Ginny, in turn, tapped the camera with her wand, Banishing it back to her room.

Hermione stared at her in wild-eyed anger. "If you don't give me that bloody photo…" she began.

"That's no way to talk to a friend," Ginny cut her off in mock outrage. "Especially one that has such compromising material on you."

"What do you want?" Eddie asked in a defeated voice. "I don't have much money."

"Money?" Harry gasped, sounding genuinely offended. "We're not trying to get money from you! You're our friends; we wouldn't do something that nasty."

"No, especially when it's more fun just to embarrass you," Ginny added, equally annoyed that Eddie would think that lowly of them.

"What do you want, then?" Hermione asked, fighting to keep her temper under control.

"Well, for a start you could stop flashing your knockers at my boyfriend," Ginny replied irritably.

Hermione, suddenly realising her blouse was wide open, turned a bright shade of red and hurriedly started to do up the buttons on her shirt. Harry pulled an exaggerated look of disappointment.

"You will give us that photograph, won't you?" Hermione insisted once she had covered herself up.

"We were going to, until Eddie suggested we wanted money from you," Ginny snapped, suddenly feeling very annoyed.

Hermione spun around and glared at her boyfriend. Eddie gave an apologetic shrug and suddenly became enormously interested in something on the floor.

"Eddie! You should have known Harry and Ginny would never try and extort money from us," Hermione said angrily. "No, they'll probably just want to do something to humiliate us, like make us run naked through the Great Hall!"

"Now there's an idea," Harry pondered.

It was Eddie's turn to glare at Hermione.

"You're going to have to wait to hear what we've decided will be your forfeit," Ginny decided. "We'll let you know in due course."

"You promise you won't show that photo to anyone," Hermione begged.

"Of course we won't!" Ginny barked.

"Except Luna, of course," Harry added, "and maybe Fred and George…"

Ginny kicked him hard in the shins.

"Ow! No, of course we won't show anyone," he amended. "You're my best friend, Hermione, I would never do that to you."

"Okay, well… we'll be going then," Hermione said, clearly still worried. She grabbed Eddie's hand and they disappeared down the corridor.

"Oh, that was fun," Harry sniggered.

"It certainly was for you, wasn't it," Ginny growled.

"Eh?" Harry said, nonplussed by Ginny's sudden change of mood.

"You were certainly having a good look at Hermione's bazoombas, we're you?" she snapped.

"To be fair, they were a bit hard to miss," Harry pointed out. Ginny's reddening face instantly made him realise his mistake. "Ginny, you can't be jealous, can you? You know I don't think of Hermione in that way."

"Then why were you looking at her chest so intently?" she demanded.

"I dunno, I was just curious, I guess. I mean, I've known her for years, it's only natural to be a little curious," Harry pointed out. "Besides, you didn't object to me looking at Luna."

"That was different!" Ginny spat.

Harry looked confused for a moment.

"Okay, I'm probably making a massive mistake by asking this, but I really have no clue. Why is it different?" he asked with the look of a man about to stick his head into a bees' nest.

"Because there was a genuine reason why Luna was naked! We were all sunbathing! You staring at Hermione like that was just perverted," she raged.

She knew she was being a bit irrational, after all, they had set out with the express intention of embarrassing whoever was in the cupboard, but she couldn't help herself. Hermione was older and more developed, while her body was only just coming into its adult form. Harry and Hermione had always been close, and she hated to see him leering at her like that.

"Ginny," Harry said plaintively. "I'm a teenage boy. It's only natural for me to be curious about other girls' bodies. Apart from you, that was the first time I'd seen a topless girl, apart from Luna, of course. Oh, and that time we walked in on Tonks and Remus. And when we accidentally saw Eva with Sirius. I guess that Slytherin girl last week counts, too…"

"Just keep digging that hole, Potter," Ginny growled.

"Err, yeah. Anyway, what I'm trying to say is that it's natural for a relatively inexperienced boy like me to compare other girls with you. Do you know what I think when I do compare them to you?" he asked.

"What?" Ginny snapped, feeling angry, nervous and curious all at once.

"I think what I bloody lucky git I am," Harry told her resolutely. "I still can't understand how I managed to end up with the most beautiful girl in the world."

"Merlin, could you be any cheesier?" Ginny scoffed.

"Look into our bond," Harry insisted. "Tell me what you feel."

Reluctantly, Ginny opened her feelings to him. A consequence of the Soul Bond was that they couldn't lie to each other, not really. It was virtually impossible for them to truly hide their feeling from each other. The second she opened herself up, Ginny felt waves of emotions rolling off Harry. Concern that she was upset and sorrow that he might be the cause of it. There was also confusion that she was so angry and hurt by his actions. But mostly she felt his love and desire for her. He genuinely did believe she was the most beautiful girl in the world. Her anger evaporated and she felt her heart melt.

"You're mental, you know that?" she challenged. "I'm short, freckly and I have small boobs. How can you possibly think I'm beautiful?"

"You have the most wonderful brown eyes I've ever seen. I just get lost in them whenever I look at you," he started to explain, taking a step towards her. "Your hair is just magnificent; it's like an ocean of fire. You always smell so wonderful; just a hint of your scent makes me go weak at the knees. I love the height you are; you fit into my arms just perfectly. And as for your body, I think it's perfect. You're slim and athletic; your legs are shapely and just so sexy. Your skin is smooth and creamy; it drives me wild just to touch you. And as for your chest, if you think your boobs are small then you haven't looked in a mirror for a while. I mean what I say: you, Ginny Weasley, are perfect."

Ginny looked at him in wonder. Did he really think all that about her? She looked up at him and saw the sincerity in his express and what little anger she had left in her vanished.

"You, Mr Potter, are going to get so lucky tonight," she purred seductively.

"Then why don't we head on over to the Room of Requirement and you can show me?" he challenged, his eyes shining with desire.

Unfortunately, when they reached the Room of Requirement it appeared to be already occupied, presumably by Eddie and Hermione. Fortunately, they knew of an unused room in the East Wing that used to be additional teacher accommodation. They hurriedly made their way there and shut themselves in and no one, not even Dumbledore, would have been able to dispel their Locking Charms.

HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP

The next morning, a rather giggly Harry and Ginny made their way down from the common room. The previous night had proved to be rather spectacular in the end, and they were both feeling very affectionate to each other that morning. Indeed, they were nearly late to breakfast because they kept dragging each other into secluded alcoves to snog. Their mood was only slightly soured when they found a very disgruntled Hermione waiting for them at the Gryffindor table.

"Good morning, Hermione. I barely recognised you with your clothes on," Harry joked as they sat down. Ginny just giggled at the older girl's irate expression.

"Well? Have you decided what indignities you're going to subject me and Eddie to?" Hermione demanded with any preamble.

Harry and Ginny just grinned at each other.

"Actually, we have," Ginny admitted. "Your punishment is… to tell us how much you love us."

"What?" Hermione exclaimed doubtfully.

"Here," Harry said, and pushed a photograph, face down, across the table to her. Carefully, Hermione picked it up, being careful not to display it to anyone else.

"Bloody hell!" Hermione gasped when she got a good look at the picture. She rapidly shoved it into her robes.

"Great picture, isn't it?" Ginny teased, "Although I'm shocked that you should know how to perform such a disgusting and degrading act."

"And so well, too, if the look on Eddie's face is anything to go by," Harry sniggered.

"Is that the only copy?" Hermione demanded in a horrified voice.

"Yes, and we've destroyed the negative, we promise," Harry said earnestly.

"Thank you," Hermione said simply, looking like she was going to cry in relief.

"Honestly, do you really think we would have done anything with that photo?" Ginny demanded. "Oh, we'd tease you rotten about it, but we'd never do anything to hurt you."

"I know!" Hermione moaned. "It's just that was the first time I'd ever done anything like that before and to get discovered while doing it was… mortifying."

"Don't worry about it. So, I take it things are going well between you and Eddie, then?" Harry asked.

"Really well," Hermione confirmed with a smile. "It's just so wonderful to have a proper, affectionate boyfriend. Eddie's just so tall and muscular, but he's not just some muscle-bound, Quidditch-worshipping idiot. We actually have proper conversations and discussions. He challenges me in positive ways, too. Not to mention he's so tender and considerate! Do you know how lovely it is to have someone always greet you with a smile and a hug?"

"Yeah, I do actually," Ginny grinned.

"Oh, I'm not saying you're not kind and affectionate, Harry, it's just we've never had that kind of relationship. You always seemed really tense when I hugged you. I'm really glad that you've found someone that you feel totally comfortable with," Hermione told her friend.

"I am, too," Harry agreed, "and for the record, if you ever feel the need to hug me in future I promise I'll be a lot more relaxed about it."

"Did your parents and Eddie's get on okay, then?" Ginny asked.

"Yes, surprisingly well," Hermione confirmed. "I think they found some common ground early on, moaning about all the weird things that witches and wizards get up to. In fact, they've agreed to meet up for a meal next time my parents travel to London. It will give them a chance to talk about us when we're not there, I expect."

"So, have you two… done the deed yet?" Ginny asked quietly.

"Umm, no," Hermione admitted, sounding very embarrassed. "I must admit, I always thought that I'd wait until I was married to do… that sort of thing, but lately it just seems like it's getting harder and harder to find reasons not to. I know Eddie would never force himself on me, in fact, he's made it clear that how far we go is my decision, but I can tell he really wants to, and, truthfully, so do I."

"My advice is, if that's what you both want, and you take the suitable precautions, then you should do it. You two are clearly nuts about each other, and if you're both comfortable with the idea of taking your relationship to the next level, you shouldn't let anything stop you," Ginny advised.

"I'll think about it," Hermione said with a shy smile.

"To be honest, I thought that's what you two were up to in the Room of Requirement last night," Harry admitted.

"What do you mean? We didn't go to the Room of Requirement. After you interrupted us, we went back to our respective common rooms. I was too embarrassed to do anything else," Hermione explained ruefully.

"Well, someone was in there. We couldn't get in at all," Harry said in puzzlement. "Who else knows about the room?"

"Luna does," Hermione pointed out before smirking, "perhaps she's finally found herself a boyfriend."

"Or maybe a girlfriend," Ginny said casually.

Hermione instantly blushed and ducked her head. Ginny exchanged a quick glace with Harry. Clearly, their bushy-haired friend was not unaware of Luna's tastes. There was definitely more to this story!

"Err, I should probably head over to the Ravenclaw table and tell Eddie he doesn't need to worry about that photo," Hermione announced, conveniently finding an excuse to leave. "Luna's normally sitting with him. I'll ask her if she was in the room last night."

Hermione hurried away before either of them had a chance to say anything further. Ginny watched as her friend quickly made her way over to the Ravenclaw table and greet her tall boyfriend. Sure enough, Luna was sitting next to Eddie as she often did these days. When Eddie had learned of the extent that Luna had been bullied by members of her own house in the past, he had virtually adopted the younger girl. Although Luna received much less abuse these days due to her close friendship with Harry and Ginny, Eddie had ensured that no one within Ravenclaw was mean to Luna in the slightest. It was another thing that had endeared the young man to them.

Ginny watched as Hermione had a rapid conversation with the blond-haired girl. With a confused expression on her face, Luna turned and looked at them, shaking her head.

"Well, if it wasn't Luna, who was it in the Room of Requirement last night?" Harry asked in bewilderment.

"I don't know," Ginny admitted. "Luna was the only other person who knew about the room, as far as I was aware. Clearly, someone else knows, too."

"That's worrying," Harry said with a frown, before his expression darkened even further. "And that's even more worrying. Look over at the Slytherin table."

Ginny looked in the direction Harry was indicating in time to see Draco Malfoy strutting to his usual place at the Slytherin table. Clutching onto his arm was Pansy Parkinson, and a few steps behind him lumbered Crabbe and Goyle.

"Malfoy has got his little entourage back, somehow," Ginny noted. "How the bloody hell did he manage that? His name's been mud lately."

"Do you think mummy has come back from France and brought the family gold back with her?" Harry suggested.

"I doubt it. I'm sure Tonks would have let us know if she'd returned. The Aurors are keeping a special look-out for her, after all," Ginny reminded him.

"Why do I have a bad feeling about this?" Harry asked worriedly.

"Me too, love, me too," Ginny added, with the sinking feeling that something awful was going to happen.

HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP

"Right, thanks for coming everyone. I'll try and keep this brief, mainly because I'm as keen to get out onto the pitch as you guys," Harry said with a grin.

Ginny looked over at the rest of the team. They'd held try-outs for the Gryffindor team the previous week, and this was the first practice session for the new players. She didn't think the new additions were as strong as the players they had replaced, but they still had the makings of a good team.

"How often are you planning to have these sessions, Harry?" Katie Bell, the oldest player present, asked.

Harry smiled at her. "Don't worry, Katie. I know it's your N.E.W.T. year and most of you others have O.W.L. exams to sit, too. I plan on just keep it to one session each Saturday afternoon, and maybe adding an evening session a few weeks before each game."

"You mean, we're not going to practice morning, noon, and night like Oliver and Angelina had us doing?" Katie asked in surprise.

"I don't think all that extra training really helped that much," Harry speculated. "Everyone on that team was a good player, and we ended up just doing the same things over and over again. I swear we lost some of edge because we became bored with the whole thing," he explained. "No, as far as I'm concerned, once everyone has their basic skills down to pat, we'll just need to practice team tactics. We'll ramp things up just before a game, but I don't see any point in working ourselves into the ground."

Katie turned and solemnly looked at Ginny. "I know he's your bloke, Gin, but I love him and want to bear his children."

"Don't we all," giggled Demelza, who was sitting next to Ginny.

"We're never going to win anything like that!" Cormac McLaggen objected. "If you can't be arsed to do a proper job as captain, you shouldn't have taken the position! I think that…"

"McLaggen, shut your mouth! When I want your opinion, I'll ask for it. Got it?" Harry barked. McLaggen looked like he wanted to argue, but had the sense to keep quiet for the moment.

"How are you going to set the team up this year?" Ginny asked in an effort to get the meeting back on track. She didn't really mind if Harry murdered McLaggen, but cleaning up the mess afterwards would be a pain.

"As I see it, our main strength this year will be in attack. You three girls are probably the best Chasers in the school at the moment, and I want to centre our play on getting the Quaffle to you as early as possible. Jimmy and Ritchie, no offense to you, but this being your first season I don't want to rely too much on our defensive play. You guys need time to bed in and get used to playing in higher-tempo competitive matches. I'll want you guys to spend most of your time protecting Ginny, Demelza and Katie so they have a clear run at the opposition hoops, okay?" Harry asked the nervous young Beaters.

"Yeah, no problem, Harry'" Jimmy Peakes assured him.

"We won't let you down," Ritchie Coote added.

"I think your tactics are all wrong," McLaggen protested. "I'm by far the best Keeper in the school, and you should be building the team up from the solid defensive base we have. I'll be able to distribute the Quaffle to the girls easily enough, so you should have the Beaters forming a protective line about ten yards from my position. If we then…"

"McLaggen, if I hear one more bloody word out of your mouth, you are off the team. Do you understand?" Harry growled taking a few threatening steps towards the larger boy.

"I'm just saying…" McLaggen began defensively.

"One… more… bloody… word…" Harry snarled, his face turning red and eyes positively glowing with anger.

"Err… I…" McLaggen stuttered. Although he was older and much larger than his captain, Harry had built quite a reputation for himself over the previous years as someone not to be messed with. You could practically feel the magical energy pulsing around him.

"Let me make a few things clear to you, McLaggen," Harry said in a low, threatening voice. "Although you're a half-decent Keeper when you put your mind to it, you're also an arrogant wanker who thinks he knows better than everyone else. You see this shiny gold badge on my chest, Cormac? The one that says 'Captain' on it? That means that I'm the one giving the orders around here, not you, a concept you don't seem to have grasped yet. So let me make it clear to you. If you question my word again: you're out of the team. If you start trying to order your fellow team members about: you're out. If you start sexually harassing the girls, which I hear you've been known to do: you're out. In fact, if I catch you so much as looking at me funny, your arse will be out that door so fast that you'll be the first wizard to break the speed of sound. Don't speak; just nod your head if you understand."

McLaggen nodded.

"Good, then perhaps we can press on!" Harry announced before starting to break down his proposed tactics in greater detail.

As Harry started to speak, Demelza leaned over and whispered in Ginny's ear.

"Have you any idea how turned-on I am at the moment, Gin? Please lend him to me for one evening. Pretty please," she begged.

"No chance," Ginny whispered back, "but if you're a good girl, I'll draw you some pictures of what I plan to get up to with him tonight."

Demelza pouted, much to Ginny's amusement.

HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP

"Well, that was a sodding great waste of time," Ginny huffed as they made their way down from the Headmaster's office.

"It can't be helped," Harry said in a resigned voice. "If we're going to keep up the pretence that we know nothing about Voldemort's Horcruxes, we need to keep taking these lessons with him."

"But what's the point of all this?" Ginny demanded, waving her arms about in irritation. "Even allowing for the fact that I know Tom Riddle's life story a hell of a lot better than old droopy-draws up there, what is Dumbledore hoping to achieve by showing us all these stupid Pensieve memories? I mean, he could sit us down and say 'these are the objects I believe to be Horcruxes' and 'this is where I think they are'. Job done! I don't give a toss how deranged Morfin Gaunt was, or how desperate Hepzibah Smith was for a shag."

"I think it's a case of 'knowing your enemy'. At least, I assume that's what Dumbledore is trying to teach us," Harry smiled.

"Is that man incapable of just coming straight to the bloody point? We've been at this nearly three months now and we've achieved bugger-all," Ginny grumbled. "No wonder he didn't defeat Gellert Grindelwald until nineteen forty-five. It probably took him that long just to decide what colour robes to wear."

Harry just sniggered, obviously a lot calmer about the whole thing than she. True, most of the information about Tom Riddle was new to him and therefore a lot more interesting, but there were still a million other more useful things they could be doing with their time.

They had just reached the main staircase when a flustered-looking Professor McGonagall called out to them. She hurried up the stairs towards them, breathing heavily.

"Oh, there you two are. I thought I would have to run all the way to Albus's office," she said breathlessly.

"What's wrong, Professor?" Harry asked in a concerned voice.

"Your godmother has been trying to contact you, Harry," she puffed. "It's about Sirius."

"Nothing's happened to him, has it?" Harry immediately asked.

"No, quite the contrary, he's regained consciousness," McGonagall informed him.

"What? When?" Harry cried in joy.

"Earlier today, I understand. Eva is on the Floo in my office. If you make your way there, I'm sure she can give you more details then I can," the Professor explained.

Harry instantly took off at a furious pace and Ginny was hard pressed to stay with him. As McGonagall's office was on the first floor, it was quite a distance to run, but Harry didn't slow once. By the time they reached the office and barged through the door, Ginny was breathing heavily.

"Eva? Eva, are you there?" Harry called, throwing himself onto his knees in front of the fireplace.

"Harry? Is that you?" Eva's voice called out and a second later her head appeared in the grate. "Thank Merlin Minerva was able to find you. Harry, Sirius is awake! He woke up this afternoon and immediately asked for me. He would choose the one afternoon I wasn't at the hospital to wake up."

"Sounds typical of him," Ginny laughed, squeezing herself next to Harry. "Is he alright?"

"Mostly," Eva confirmed. "He's still getting headaches and he occasionally loses control of his bodily functions, but the Healers say that will sort itself out in the near future. Oh, words can't express how relieved I am!"

"When can I see him?" Harry asked eagerly.

"Well, I'm afraid you'll have to wait until the Christmas holidays," Eva told him hesitantly.

"What? But I want to see him now!" Harry protested angrily.

"I know, but he's still very weak and needs his rest. Trust me, Harry, he doesn't want anyone to see him at the present. Let him regain his strength and get himself back on his feet. The Christmas holidays are only a few weeks away and hopefully he'll be back home by then," Eva told him, a hint of steel behind her voice.

"Harry, you know Sirius would hate anyone to see him while he's so weak," Ginny pointed out, lightly rubbing her boyfriend's arm. "I know you want to see him more than anything, but he's still very sick. Let him get his strength and dignity back first."

Harry sighed. "Okay, but can you tell him that I'm thinking of him and that I can't wait to see him again," he begged.

"Of course I will," Eva assured him, "and I bet he'll be really looking forward to seeing you, too. I'm sorry to cut this short, but I really should get back to him. I love you, Harry and I'll see you soon. Take care of him for me, Ginny."

"I will, Eva," Ginny called, but Eva's head had already disappeared. Ginny looked at her boyfriend, who appeared to be quite upset.

"Christmas! Why the bloody hell can't I see him before?" Harry moaned.

"I don't want to worry you, but reading between the lines, I assume Sirius is still very ill. Remember what the Healer said about how head injuries can affect people? My guess is that Sirius is still on the road to recovery at the moment. Eva said he was having trouble controlling his body functions, which probably means that he can't control his bladder at the moment. Imagine how mortified Sirius would be if he wet himself while we were visiting," Ginny pointed out gently.

"I wouldn't care! He's been badly injured; I understand that he's still recovering from that," Harry protested.

"You might understand, but it would still humiliate him if it happened. Sirius is a proud man, and being as helpless as a baby must be agony for him. Trust me, love, he'll appreciate it more if you give him a bit of time to recover. The Healers at St Mungo's can do wonders, you know, and I'm sure in a few weeks he'll be much better," she said soothingly.

"I guess," Harry sighed.

"I understand how you feel," she assured him. "If it was one of my family, I'd be tearing down walls trying to see them. In this case, though, I think you need to give Sirius a bit of time."

"You're right," he huffed, "as usual. Still, it's going to be a difficult couple of weeks. You know, I really don't fancy going back to the common room tonight. Do you mind if we go to the Room of Requirement and sleep there? I really need to have you by me."

"Of course," she confirmed, giving him a soft kiss. "Don't worry, Sirius is awake. This is a good thing; you should be happy."

"Yeah, I know. It's still hard, though," he said sadly.

"I know. Let's head over to the Room of Requirement and get it to create a great big, comfortable bed in front of a roaring fire, and we'll just cuddle-up for the rest of the evening. That sound good?" she asked tenderly.

"Yeah, that sounds wonderful. Have I told you how much I love you today?" he asked.

"Well, only the once, as I recall, so you're really slipping," she teased. "Come on, love, let's go to bed."

Taking his hand, they left McGonagall's office.

HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP

"We're here!" Harry declared excitedly, leaping to his feet.

Ginny looked out the window and saw that the train was indeed just pulling into King's Cross Station. It would, however, be a few minutes before it stopped completely, but Harry seemed determined to be the first one off.

"Calm down, love," she told him as he hurriedly put on his jacket. "You won't be able to disembark for a few minutes yet."

"I know, it's just…" his voice trailed off and he looked at her pleadingly. She smiled at him.

"Come on, then. Let's make sure you're at the front of the queue to get off. We'll see you later, Luna," Ginny said, smiling at their friend who was the only other occupant of the compartment.

"Yes, I'll see you both on Boxing Day, won't I?" she asked with a dreamy smile.

"Yeah, you have a great Christmas, Luna," Harry said and, surprising both girls, he leaned down and kissed Luna on the cheek. The blond girl's smile became just a bit more radiant.

"Bye, Luna, see you on Thursday," Ginny just managed to add before Harry pulled her out of the compartment and towards the exits. A couple of second years were already standing in the doorway, but they rapidly stood aside after Harry scowled at them. Ginny smiled apologetically at the two young boys, but made no effort to scold her boyfriend. This was just too important to him.

It seemed like an age before the train finally came to a complete halt and the doors opened. Harry leapt from the train and began to frantically look around him. It didn't take long to find the people he was looking for.

"Sirius!" he cried and ran forward.

For a second, it looked like Harry was going to knock his godfather flying, but at the last second he remembered that the man was still very fragile and managed to halt himself. Instead, he gently pulled the older man into a warm embrace. Sirius wrapped his arms around his godson, and it looked like he was fighting back tears.

"Hello, Ginny, did you have a good journey?" Eva asked, moving forward to hug her.

"Yes, thanks, Eva, although Harry couldn't wait to get here. He fidgeted the whole way," Ginny said, accepting Eva's embrace happily.

"Your parents are over by the platform entrance," the large woman told her. "They said that you could meet them there."

Ginny nodded, pleased that her family had been so considerate. Harry openly had tears streaming down him face, and Ginny couldn't help but feel a lump in her throat at the sight of the two men's joyous reunion.

The last two weeks had been extremely difficult for Harry. It had not been helped by the fact that both she and Luna had both been extremely busy taking their O.W.L.s and had not been around much. Fortunately, Hermione had stepped into the breach and had made sure that Harry was never left by himself. Harry's oldest friend had been a great comfort to him as he fretted about Sirius's health and longed to see him. Ginny had made sure she got her bushy-haired friend an extra nice Christmas gift this year.

"Ah, there's the beautiful young lady that's captured my godson's heart," Sirius announced as he let go of Harry. "Come and give me a hug."

Ginny darted into the man's open arms. "It's great to see you, Sirius," she said. "You're looking really good."

"What do you mean? I always look good," Sirius protested with a smirk.

"You really haven't seen yourself first thing in the morning, have you?" Eva grinned. "I've seen Mountain Trolls who are more attractive."

"Huh, that's a lie and you know it. You find me irresistible, admit it," he replied grandly before addressing Harry and Ginny. "You know, I had barely woken up before she was demanding to have sex with me. There I was, weak and tired from my ordeal, having to service my lustful wife three times a day. I was lucky not to have a relapse!"

"Funny, I seem to recall it was you begging for sexual favours," Eva said primly. "I ask you, you'd been unconscious for months, on the brink of death, and when you finally wake up, what are the first words you say to me? 'Gissa hand-job, love!' Unbelievable!"

Ginny burst out laughing. That was just so typical of Sirius. The man himself looked completely unrepentant and merely winked at his wife.

"You obliged me eventually though, didn't you?" he pointed out smugly.

"Ugh! Are you two trying to traumatise me?" Harry demanded. "That is one image I don't want in my brain!"

"Come on, Ginny's parents will be wondering where she is. Let's get out of here," Sirius said, slipping his arm around his wife.

"Yeah, then can we get something to eat? I'm starving," Harry announced, putting his arm around Ginny's shoulders.

Ginny smiled. Everything was back to normal.

HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP

"So, when is the group meeting up again? I miss seeing everyone," Luna said as she settled back onto the bed she was sitting on, a glass of fruity elven wine in her hand.

"I don't think it will during the Christmas holidays," Harry informed her. "Sirius will only want to get involved, and Eva has strictly banned him from doing anything. It will probably be Easter before we all get together again."

Ginny looked up at her boyfriend who was, as usual these days, dressed immaculately. The years of being forced to wear his cousin's old cast-offs obviously still rankled and he always took the time to be well-presented. The pine green shirt with gold buttons he was wearing really suited him, and went well with his dark grey trousers. She decided he was one Christmas gift she was definitely going to enjoy unwrapping.

"Has Hermione or Remus had any luck in finding out who this R.A.B. person is?" Luna asked.

"No, and apparently we're not to mention this to Sirius, at all. If he gets wind of how close we are to destroying the last of Voldemort's Horcruxes, he's bound to want to help. I know he seems like he's his old self, but he's still pretty weak, even if he does a good job hiding it," Harry said sternly.

Luna nodded obediently and took another sip of her wine. It was Boxing Day and this had been the first opportunity for the three of them to get together. The Weasleys had thrown a huge party and The Burrow was overflowing with guests. They had sneaked up to Ginny's room to talk in private while the party was in full swing downstairs.

"Oh, I meant to ask you how you did with your O.W.L.s," Ginny said to her friend. "You got your results, didn't you?"

"Yes, I did," Luna beamed. "I managed to get 'Outstanding' in everything apart from Arithmancy, which I admit I find boring and only got an 'Exceeds' in, and, strangely, Care of Magical Creatures where I got a 'Poor'. I really don't understand the last one. I wrote pages and pages of really interesting information during my exam. I even corrected a few of the questions that were set."

"Err, well, some of those examiners are a bit set in their ways," Harry ventured carefully. He clearly could imagine what sort of 'interesting information' Luna had included in her exam paper.

"I got an 'Exceeds' in Potions, but apart from that I got 'Outstanding' in everything, too," Ginny announced happily. "That means that next term we get to move up to the N.E.W.T. classes."

"How brilliant is that?" Harry said happily. "I know Hermione's really excited that you'll be joining us, too."

"Yeah, well, she does only really have you for company. She'll probably appreciate having some intelligent conversation, for a change," Ginny smirked.

"Thanks," Harry responded sarcastically. "Actually, to be serious for a second, I'm really glad we'll be together for most of the time. I've just got this feeling that Malfoy is going to try something soon."

"I know what you mean," Ginny agreed. "He's been looking rather smug of late, hasn't he?"

"I just wish we knew what he's getting up to in the Room of Requirement," Harry lamented.

The mystery of who was frequently occupying the room had been solved several weeks before, when Harry happened to notice Draco on the Marauder's Map. He'd been moving along the seventh floor corridor when he suddenly vanished from the map at exactly the spot where the room's entrance was located. They subsequently noticed that he was a frequent visitor to the room and often posted Crabbe or Goyle as a guard outside.

"We'll just have to keep a close eye on him," Luna decided. "If he tries to hurt any of you, I swear I'll gut him like a fish and throw his remains to the Thestrals!"

Ginny looked at her friend in surprise. She had never seen Luna so aggressive and the girl's words shocked her.

"Don't worry, Luna. We'll take care of the little ferret if he steps out of line," Harry assured her.

"Good. I refuse to let any of my friends be put in danger because of that disgusting, bigoted piece of Hippogriff shit," Luna snarled. "You all mean the world to me, and I'm damned if Malfoy is going to threaten that!"

"It's okay, Luna, really," Harry said comfortingly. He put down his wine glass and put a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "We know Draco is up to something and we'll take precautions, I promise."

"Hmm, that's actually not a bad idea," Ginny murmured. "Perhaps we should try and put a Tracking Charm on ferret-features when we get back. We could modify it so it warns us if he's using the Room of Requirement, or trying to leave the castle."

"That's a very good idea, Ginny," Luna agreed. "I'd feel better knowing we could keep an eye on him."

Ginny was about to reply when suddenly the door to her room flew open and Bill leapt in.

"Ah-ah! Caught you at… oh, err, hello Luna," Bill said, looking rather crestfallen.

"Hello, Bill," Luna replied with a smile. "Were you expecting to find Harry and Ginny up here alone?"

"Actually, yes," he admitted. "Mum noticed they were missing and sent me to find them."

"Thought you'd catch us shagging, did you?" Ginny smirked.

Bill just glared at his sister. "Mum wants you downstairs. She's about to serve evening tea."

"Not more food," Harry groaned. "I'll explode if I eat any more."

"Oh, it's just a light spread," Bill assured him. "Porkpies, cold-cuts, bread, cheese, quiche…"

Harry mimed vomiting.

"…cake, trifle, ice-cream, fruit, chocolate gateau…"

"Bill, stop! I really will be sick if you carry on," Ginny laughed.

"Anyway, stop hiding yourselves away up here," Bill grinned. "I'm heading to France to spend the rest of the holidays with Fleur's family tomorrow, so I would like a chance to talk with my little sister a bit before I go."

"Oh, that reminds me," Harry exclaimed. "I've got a present for Fleur I didn't get a chance to post before Christmas. Can you take it with you to give to her please, Bill?"

"Giving beautiful blond witches presents now, are you, Potter?" Ginny snapped. "Trying to buy her favours?"

Harry just gave her a pitying look.

"Oh, bugger. Since we did that Soul Bond Ritual it's absolutely impossible to wind you up, isn't it?" Ginny pouted. "It's spoilt all my fun!"

"Wow, that's a really useful thing to have," Bill said to Harry. "It's certainly going to help you when you're married."

"Yeah, I'm never going to be one of those blokes who hangs around bars moaning to the barmaid that his wife doesn't understand him," Harry laughed.

"Oh, I understand you all too well, Mr Potter," Ginny said saucily.

"Oh, yeah? Well, what am I thinking about now?" Harry asked, looking at her intently.

Opening the bond between them, Ginny sought out his emotions and was hit by a wave of unbridled lust. She could feel his desire and yearning for her. She was instantly hit with surge of excitement and she could feel her body responding to his need. Ginny looked into his brilliant green eyes and could almost see images of what he wanted to do to her. She had a sudden vision of him bending her over and…

"Oi, what's going on here? What exactly are you doing to her, Potter?" Bill shouted.

Recovering quickly, Ginny laughed at her brother. "Got you, didn't we?" she teased him. "In fact, Harry was just letting me know he fancied some of Mum's walnut cake. That was right, wasn't it, Harry?"

"Yeah, you got the type of cake right and everything," Harry lied smoothly.

"Hmm, well, you three better get yourselves downstairs," Bill huffed, a bit disgruntled at being made fun of. He stomped out of Ginny's room and down the stairs.

Harry started after him and Ginny was about to follow when Luna grabbed her shoulder.

"Harry wasn't really thinking about cake, was he?" She whispered in Ginny's ear.

"Hell no," Ginny sniggered, "but he definitely has a sweet tooth, I can assure you of that."

"Lucky girl," Luna giggled, and the two friends headed back to the party.


	10. Chapter 10 – To Be a Rock and Not To Rol

**Chapter 10 – To Be a Rock and Not To Roll **

AN

I can't believe that I'm posting the final chapter of this story. It seems like only five minutes ago that I uploaded the first chapter of the first of this trilogy, and yet here we are. Considering that this was a sort of back-up story I turned to when the one I was working on crashed and burned, I have to say I'm very pleased with how it turned out.

Okay, some house-keeping issues.

Yes, I know that 'Na zda-ró-vye' isn't a proper Russian drinking toast (I think it just means 'thank you' or something) but it has been accepted as such here in Western Europe, so I'm using it as such. So there.

No, I'm not trying to make any political statements with the Ron bit. Bearing in mind the timing of this story, I just thought it was an appropriate conflict to use. It also gave me the opportunity to flaunt my extensive knowledge of Soviet-era weapons, too.

No, as tempting as it is, bearing in mind how the story ends, I won't be doing a sequel. I have far too many other half-baked ideas that I have to work through without dragging this one out any further.

Finally, can I ask for a huge round of applause for Arnel, who has been my rock throughout this story. I can't thank her enough for all her help and support: she's a star!

Remember kids, all that glitters may not be gold, but it's probably worth stealing, anyway.

* * *

"Actually, I think we're doing this the wrong way round," Harry confessed. "Viktor said you should go in the cold water after you've been in the warm."

"There's absolutely no bloody way that I'm diving in the Blake Lake and then just standing around in the cold. No, it's better doing it this way," Ginny noted.

"I agree," Luna added. "Viktor Krum might be used to freezing weather, but we're not. Just warm up the pool like we agreed, Harry."

"Okay," Harry agreed and pointed his wand at the largish rock pool in front of them. "_Aquae Arderent!" _

The clear water in the pool began to boil almost at once. A cloud of steam rose into the frosty January air.

"That should do it, Harry," Ginny announced and Harry instantly cancelled the spell. The water continued to bubble for another few moments before it settled down.

"By the time we've taken our swim in the lake, the water here should have cooled enough for us to get in," Luna decided.

The three of them all looked at each other with a grin.

"So, are you two lovely witches ready to do this?" Harry asked.

"No, but let's do it anyway," Ginny giggled.

Simultaneously, the three of them cast-off the heavy robes they had been wearing, leaving them standing naked in the frosty air. Luna was the first to move.

"Come on, you two," she called as she ran the short distance towards the Black Lake. "No dilly-dallying! Just leap straight into the water."

Harry and Ginny ran after her and plunged straight into the frigid lake. Ginny gasped as the shock of the freezing waters lapping around her legs hit her.

"Straight in!" Luna insisted. She was already up to her waist and was continuing to wade out further. Taking a deep breath, Ginny hurried after her friend.

Soon, all three of them were up to their necks in the dark water. Ginny could feel her teeth chattering and had already lost all feeling in her fingers and toes.

"Bloody hell, this is agony," she moaned. "How long do we have to stay in here?"

"Just a few minutes," Harry advised her.

"I'm not sure I'll last that long. You could cut glass with my nipples about now," she complained.

"Stop moaning," Harry told her. "What about me? I'll tell you, when we get out of the water my ego is going to take a major battering. The last time my bits were this small was when I was about three years old!"

"Never mind, Harry. I'm sure Ginny will help warm them up for you later," Luna giggled.

"He can warm his own bits up. It was his stupid idea to do this ice-swimming in the first place," Ginny gripped.

From her position gently floating in the bitterly-cold waters, she could just make out Hogwarts in the distance. They had found this secluded inlet the week before while out flying and a crazy tale Viktor Krum had told Harry about swimming in pools cut from the ice back in Norway had inspired him to suggest this mad stunt. While Ginny was normally up for most challenges, this really was becoming a dare too far.

"Right, I think we've been out here long enough," Luna decided, her teeth chattering. "The rock pool should have cooled enough for us to use it by now."

Gratefully, the three of them began to swim back to the shoreline. As her toes found purchase on the gravelly lake bottom, Ginny stood and frantically began to wade towards the warmth of the pool. She glanced over at Harry, who was nearly completely clear of the water. He certainly hadn't been kidding about the effect the freezing temperature was having on him, although he didn't have to be quite so blatant in trying to massage life back into his frozen appendage. Still, it was probably his most precious body-part, so maybe he shouldn't be criticised too much.

Luna was first to reach the rock pool and she cautiously dipped her hand in the water. She grimaced for a second before she became accustomed to the high temperature.

"It's just about cool enough to enter, but he careful," she announced before gingerly stepping into the pool. Slowly, she lowered herself down until she was able to sit. The steaming water only came up to the top of her stomach, leaving her breasts exposed. Ginny warily copied her friend's actions, and nearly shrieked as she lowered her foot into the scolding water. Taking it very slowly, she too sat down in the pool opposite Luna. The pool was small enough that her feet were touching the blond-haired witch's.

"What's Harry doing?" Luna asked, peering intently over Ginny's shoulder.

Ginny turned and saw her boyfriend bending down, apparently retrieving something from one of the piles of snow that remained from the fall that had occurred the previous week. She was torn between curiosity at what he was doing, and just ogling his shapely bum as he bent over. In the end, ogling won.

A few seconds later, Harry apparently found what he was looking for and stood up. He turned and jogged back to the pool clutching a bottle of clear liquid in his hand.

"What's that, Harry?" Ginny asked, trying to ignore the amusing sight of his manly bits bobbing up and down as he ran.

"Vodka," Harry announced as he reached the pool. "Viktor said that to complete the ice swimming experience it's vital to have a few shots of neat vodka afterwards. I came and hid this bottle in the snowdrift last evening, so it should be ice-cold by now. Care for a snifter, ladies?"

"You, Harry Potter, are a bloody genius," Ginny declared. "Gimme a shot of that now!"

"Yes, that sounds like a wonderful idea. But where on earth did you manage to get a bottle of genuine Russian vodka during term time?" Luna asked, eyeing the label on the bottle appreciatively.

"I have my sources," Harry smirked and pulled three long shot glasses from a small bag he had brought with him. He sat on the edge of the pool with his legs dangling in the water, and poured three large shots of the vodka into the glasses. He handed a glass to Ginny and then Luna, before slipping totally into the water next to his girlfriend. He casually draped his left arm around her shoulders, before reaching back and grabbing his glass.

"It's traditional to down this in one," he instructed the girls before lifting the glass to his lips. **"**Na zda-ró-vye!**"**

**"**Na zda-ró-vye!**" **the girls repeated and knocked back their drinks.

"Wow!" Ginny exclaimed as the vodka burned down her throat. It had a surprisingly creamy aftertaste to it, and she could feel the warmth spreading through her body. She was definitely going to have more of this stuff!

"Mmm, that was yummy," Luna announced dreamily. "I've had vodka before, but only cheap brands. This is much nicer, especially ice-cold."

Ginny looked over at her friend affectionately. Since Hermione had been spending so much time with Eddie, Luna had migrated towards Harry and her more and more. Not that she minded; Luna was her oldest friend and she loved the strange girl to bits. Ginny couldn't help but notice that Luna was growing into a stunningly beautiful witch. Her long dirty-blond hair was clinging to her wet, pale skin and her large blue eyes were regarding them with a mischievous twinkle in them.

"I thought you'd like it," Harry said, sounding pleased. "We'd better be careful, though. This is strong stuff and we'll end up pissed as newts if we're not careful."

"Yes, that would be terrible," Luna agreed with a wicked smile on her lips. "Just think what might happen if three naked, randy teenagers end up getting drunk in a secluded place like this?"

Ginny just winked at her friend as Harry turned a spectacular shade of red.

HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP

The incessant chirping noise was becoming really annoying. Ginny blinked blearily into the pitch darkness and wondered for a moment what was going on.

"Bloody hell, Gin, can't you shut that thing off?" Demelza's sleepy voice moaned.

As her friend's words sunk into her muddled mind, Ginny realized that the noise that had awoken her was coming from her communication mirror. Angrily, she grabbed it from the bedside table and activated.

"Do know what bloody time it is?" she growled as Harry's image appeared in the mirror.

"Ginny, we have a problem. The Tracking Alarm we placed on Malfoy just went off. He's just entered the Room of Requirement," Harry said urgently.

"What? What time is it?" Ginny asked blearily.

"Just after two o'clock in the morning, but that's not the really weird thing. I've just checked the Marauder's Map and he's got over a dozen Slytherins with him," he informed her grimly.

"Shit!" Ginny cursed leaping out of bed. "He's making his move. You alert Luna and get the rest of the boys up. I'll grab Hermione and wake everyone one up in the girls' dorm."

"I'm already on it," Harry snapped and the mirror went dead.

"Demelza! Vicky! Wake up, we've got a situation here," Ginny bellowed as she grabbed a pair of jeans and a jumper.

"What?" Vicky grumbled, rubbing the sleep from her eyes.

"Get up and dressed. I need you to wake everyone up and get them to meet in the common room. The Slytherins are up to something," Ginny cried, pulling her top over her head.

Without pausing to see if her dorm mates were moving, she shoved her trainers on her feet and ran out of the room. Pounding up the short flight of steps that led to the sixth year girls' room, she flung the door open and ran to Hermione's bed.

"Hermione, wake up!" Ginny yelled, shaking her friend. "Malfoy is up to something and he's got half of Slytherin House with him."

To her credit, Hermione responded a lot faster than she had. The bushy-haired witch pushed herself up on her elbows and looked at Ginny intently.

"What's happening?" she demanded.

"Malfoy's just entered the Room of Requirement and he's got over a dozen of his mates with him. He's been threatening revenge for months now and this must be the start of it," Ginny explained urgently.

"You know, they could just be having a party, or something," Hermione pointed out.

"At two o'clock on a weekday?" Ginny pointed out acerbically. "Besides, the Slytherins aren't exactly known for their swinging parties, are they?"

"No, I guess you're…" Hermione began but she was cut off by Ginny's mirror chirping for attention again. She activated and Harry's distressed features appeared.

"Death Eaters! We've got Death Eaters in the school. I can could ten so far, with Antonin Dolohov in the lead," he spat.

"Shit!" Hermione cursed and leaped out of bed. She started to hurriedly pull her clothes on.

"There are Death Eaters in the school?" came the frightened voice of Lavender Brown whose bed was just opposite Hermione's.

"Yes, now get up and get dressed. We're meeting in the common room. Don't forget your wand!" Ginny yelled and ran out of the room to wake the girls in the other rooms. It took her five minutes to get everyone moving and heading downstairs. She found Harry already there with most of the boys. He was pouring over the Marauder's Map looking worried.

"We've got eleven Death Eaters and fifteen Slytherins in total and it looks like they're heading for the main entrance. I guess they're going to try and seal the exits before they do whatever they're planning on doing. I've alerted Luna and she's getting the Ravenclaws together, but we've got no way of alerting the Hufflepuffs," Harry said angrily.

"Damn, that was bad planning on our part. What about the teachers?" Ginny asked.

"Most of them have their accommodation on the lower floors and the Death Eaters are between them and us. If we can work it with the Ravenclaws we should at least be able to hit the Death Eaters from two directions at once. That should even the odds a bit," Harry pondered.

"You want to fight them?" a second year girl gasped in horror. "Why don't we just stay here and block the door."

"Because that door was never intended to stand up to a direct assault," Ginny spat. "A couple of good Blasting Charms and they'll be in, or maybe they could just cast a Fiendfyre Curse in here and stand back while we burn. We can't afford to be trapped in here."

"Ginny's right, but I'm not expecting all of you to fight, anyway. I want volunteers from the senior H.D.A. group only. The rest of you are to head to one of the secret exits and try to escape. If you can get to Hogsmeade and raise the alarm, that would be really helpful. Who's with me?" Harry asked.

Almost without exception the members of the H.D.A. raised their hands. Ginny could only smile at the loyalty Harry's housemates were showing him.

"Great! Right, I want all the rest of you to head for the statue of Gregory the Smarmy. You'll find a hidden passageway behind it that leads out of the castle. Does anyone know where the statue is?" Harry demanded.

"I do, Harry," Neville said. "I'll lead the young'uns out of the school. I never attended your Defense meetings, so I'll be no use against Death Eaters. I'll try and get help as soon as I can, though."

"Good man," Harry said, slapping Neville heartily on the arm. "You get going as soon as you can and I'll liaise with the Ravenclaws and try and set up an ambush. The passageway is well away from where the Death Eaters are, so hopefully you'll have no problems."

"Okay, I'll be as fast as I can," Neville promised. "Alright, all those that are leaving come with me now! We need to raise the alarm immediately."

Neville left with a large group of frightened first, second and third years, with a few additions from the upper years tagging along, too. Looking around, Ginny saw that they still had twenty-one willing fighters.

"Luna, are you there?" Harry called into the mirror. A second later, Luna's still tranquil face appeared.

"Hello, Harry. How are you?" she asked with a placid smile.

"I'm good, thank you," Harry smirked, clearly amused by his friend's casual greeting. "Are all the Ravenclaws up?"

"Oh, yes. Most of them didn't want to get out of bed until Eddie came and started yelling at them," Luna explained happily.

"Good for Eddie. Right, this is the situation: we have a group of twenty-six mixed Death Eaters and Slytherins congregating by the main entrance. I have no idea what they're up to but they're blocking us from alerting the teachers. I need you to gather up every Ravenclaw from the fourth year up who is willing to fight and move towards the Entrance Hall. Hopefully, we can catch our unwanted guests in a pincer movement and take them out. How many bodies can you bring to the fight?" Harry asked.

"Wait a second," Luna responded and she disappeared. About a minute later, Eddie's face appeared in the mirror.

"Harry, we have fifteen people willing to fight. Will that be enough?" he announced. He looked red-faced and angry, like he'd be arguing with his housemates.

"Yeah, that will do," Harry confirmed. "I'm not sure we can get everyone else out of there, though. I think the rest would be wise just to stay put and lock the door. Most of the exits I know of would take them too close to the Death Eaters."

"Okay, I'll get them to barricade themselves in as soon as we leave. What do you want us to do now?" Eddie asked.

"Head towards the main entrance, but stop before you reach the main stairwell. We'll get in position and hopefully we can hit them from two directions simultaneously. If we can catch them in a crossfire we might able to take the lot of them down in one go," Harry instructed.

"We're moving now," Eddie said tersely before vanishing.

"Okay, let's move!" Harry yelled and led them out of the portrait hole. Ginny paused and addressed the fat lady, who was by now wide awake and in some distress.

"Have you any means of alerting the teachers to what's going on?" Ginny asked.

"I'll try, dear, but none of the teachers have portraits in their bedrooms that I know of," the woman replied. "I'll pass the word to the other portraits and get them to keep an eye on the intruders."

"Thanks," Ginny smiled and ran to catch up with Harry.

They moved forward at a slow jog until they reached the main stairwell. Harry halted them in a corridor nearby and cautiously peered round the corner. Seeing nothing untoward, he reached for the mirror and quietly called Luna.

"We're in position, Harry," Luna responded immediately. "We must be a couple of floors below you and on the far side of the hallway."

"Great. Start to move forwards. Get as many people to cast Disillusion Charms on themselves as they can. Put your mirror on the vibrate-only setting and call me when you've got the Death Eaters in sight," he instructed. He then turned and motioned for everyone to close in on him.

"This is the plan. The Ravenclaws are in position above the main entrance. We're going to cast Disillusion Charms on ourselves and move down to the opposite side of the hall. We should then be on either side of the Death Eaters, and shooting downwards so there'll be no chance of hitting friendlies. Your signal to start casting spells will be when I launch my first curse at them. Don't get nervous and start casting before! Use the most powerful and deadly spells you know. Those scum wouldn't spare you, so don't give them any quarter."

The grim looks on the faces of those assembled suggested mercy was in short supply that night.

"Good. Anyone not know how to cast a Disillusion Charm?" he asked. Two fourth years raised their hands. "Right, Ginny and I will cast the spell on you. Any questions? No? Right, Disillusion yourselves and let's move. Good luck everyone and stay safe."

They cast the charms and started to head down the stairs. Looking back, it seemed to Ginny that the rippling effect that the Disillusion Charm had when moving made the whole stairway look like it was underwater. They stealthily continued down the stairs until they reached the first floor landing where they began to fan out. Looking through the banisters, Ginny could clearly see the group of Slytherins and Death Eaters congregating in the hall below. There appeared to be some sort of dispute in progress and she could just hear snatches of it. Malfoy appeared to be arguing with a dark, burly man she recognised as Dolohov.

"That wasn't… part… you said we'd take out…now!" Draco whined, sounding for all the world like his mummy had just told him he couldn't have any more sweets.

"Shut it, you insignificant brat!" Dolohov yelled. "You might have got us in the castle, but I'm giving the orders now. I say we go after Dumbledore first!"

"Luna, I'm about to launch my first curse," Ginny heard Harry whisper into his mirror. "Good luck."

A second later, a bright blue bolt of light smashed into the group below with such force that the flagstones were blown apart sending debris in all directions. Ginny launched a Blasting Curse of her own as screams started to fill the air.

The Death Eaters were caught completely unaware, but responded quickly and started casting Shield Charms. The Slytherins weren't so quick off the mark, and bodies fell like rain. By the time Ginny fired off her second curse, she estimated that perhaps half of their foes had fallen, while several more were obviously wounded.

"On the landing!" Dolohov cried and started to hurl curses at the defenders. Ginny heard a cry of pain from somewhere to her left, but did dare take the time to look who had been hit. The Disillusion Charms had dispelled as soon as they had started firing, but they still had the advantage of numbers and a superior position. Another Death Eater fell, clutching his throat as blood squirted through his fingers.

"You little bastards!" a voice roared, and Ginny saw the instantly recognisable figure of Fenrir Greyback charge towards the stairs. Several spells impacted near him, but he powered forward, seemingly oblivious to the curses. When he reached the first floor landing, he turned left towards the Ravenclaws. Ginny started to panic when she saw who the nearest person to the advancing Death Eater was: Luna.

"Shit," she bellowed, rising to her knees to get a better shot. "_Avada Kedavra!"_

The bolt of blinding green light shot from her wand and headed straight towards the large, vicious Death Eater and Ginny was convinced she had him. Then, at the last second, Greyback ducked and the curse missed him by inches. He stood and glared in Ginny's direction.

This proved to be the last thing he ever did as moments later he was hit by a bolt of white light. It struck him solidly, knocking him sideways. Then, with agonising slowness, his head toppled from his shoulders, sending a shower of blood in all directions from his neck. His body fell forwards and rolled down the stairs. From the other side of the hall, Ginny saw Luna waving merrily at her.

"They're running!" someone yelled, forcing Ginny's attention back to the ground floor.

The few remaining intruders had opened the main doors and were heading out into the school grounds. A stray bolt of red light hit the last one and he crumpled to the ground.

"Malfoy and Dolohov are getting away," Harry yelled, leaping to his feet.

"Not bloody likely," Ginny growled, also standing.

"Let's get after them, then," Harry yelled, sprinting towards the stairs.

Ginny followed him and soon they were out of the main doors and heading towards the castle grounds. Looking around, she noted that Luna, Hermione and Eddie were following close behind.

Harry came to an abrupt halt and pulled out the Marauders' Map. He scanned it rapidly.

"They've split up," he announced. "Zabini and two others I don't know are heading towards the main gates. Dolohov and Malfoy are heading towards Hagrid's hut."

"Zabini? That low-life bastard! He's mine," Eddie declared and sprinted off in the direction of the main gates. A fraction of a second later Hermione followed him.

"Where do you want me to go?" Luna asked, looking conflicted.

"Go after those two," Harry told her. "I've no idea what Eddie's like in a fight and Hermione hasn't got that ruthless streak that you need in battle. Keep an eye on them."

"Okay, be careful you two," Luna called as she started to run after Eddie and Hermione.

"Nice take-down of Fenrir, by the way," Ginny called at her departing friend. Luna just waved her hand in acknowledgement and kept running.

"Okay, I think our prey our trying to get to the Forbidden Forest. They probably figure we won't find them in there," Harry said scanning the map.

"Then let's get moving. The map doesn't cover the forest and we probably will lose them in the dark," Ginny pointed out.

They set off at a blistering speed. Both of them were in the peak of physical fitness and could keep up a fast pace for a long time. It wasn't long before Hagrid's hut loomed into sight.

"Down!" Harry suddenly screamed and pushed Ginny to one side. A bolt of purple light clipped him on the arm and sent him spinning. Ginny flung herself to the ground and attempted to locate the source of the curse. In the dark, however, she could see little.

Another bolt of light, orange this time, hurtled towards them but this time she managed to get a Shield in place. It was followed by several more curses, each was deflected, but Ginny couldn't get a clear view of the person casting it.

"Harry, are you alright?" she called out desperately, unable to look back in case she missed a spell being fired at them.

"Yeah… I… ow! I got hit on the arm, but other than that I'm okay. I dropped my wand and I can't find it in the dark, though," Harry moaned.

"How unfortunate," sneered a voice from behind them. Ginny spun around only to have her wand ripped from her fingers by a Disarming Spell. Dolohov stood there, grinning in triumph. "You can come out now, Draco. I have them," he called.

"You bastard!" Ginny growled.

"Shut up, you little bitch. I'm personally going to enjoy torturing you," he snarled back.

"Antonin, we can't linger here!" Draco Malfoy cried, hurrying towards them. "The other scum are bound to come after them in a minute. Just kill them and let's get out of here!"

"Sadly, you're right. Shame really, I could have had some fun with this little girl. Never mind. I guess I'll just have to…" Dolohov began when he was suddenly interrupted by a loud cracking sound.

Dolohov jerked suddenly. Two more cracks sounded, and the Death Eater's body shuddered and then fell. Even in the dark Ginny could see a blood stain forming through his clothes.

"What the…" Draco began before another crack sounded, although this one seemed higher in pitch. Draco screamed and fell to his knees. Three more cracks echoed in the night and the blond boy fell face-first into the grass. Ginny spun around and saw a sight she could barely believe.

Ron Weasley stood a few yards away with what appeared to be a Muggle pistol in his hand. He grinned at his sister.

"Hiya, Ginny. Long-time no see. You're looking good," he said casually.

"Ron?" gasped Harry in disbelief.

"The very same. Good to see you, Harry. I heard you got betrothed to my little sister here. All I can say is that you're a braver man than I thought, mate," Ron smirked.

"What are you doing here?" Ginny demanded, "and where did you get that Muggle gun-thingy?"

"Gun-thingy? Blimey, you sound just like Dad," Ron laughed. "This, my dear sister, is a Tokarev TT-33 self-loading pistol. Actually, I'm surprised it worked so well. The damn thing is twice as old as I am!"

"Who else is out there?" Harry asked warily. "Those first shots came from a different direction."

"Ah, you always were a smart one, weren't you?" Ron said with a grin. "Ariya, you can come out now, love."

Out of the darkness stepped a short, dark-haired girl. Her skin was a dusky brown and her eyes burnt with a dark intensity that was unnerving. In her arms she carefully cradled a Muggle rife. The girl stared at Ginny with a hard, unfriendly gaze.

Unfazed, Ron marched up to the girl and put a protective arm around her shoulders. He grinned mischievously at them.

"You two might be betrothed, but I can top that," he smirked. "I'd like you to meet my wife, Ariya."

"Wife? But she can't be any older than I am," Ginny gasped.

"Nah, she's only a couple of months older than you actually," Ron confirmed. "You'll have to forgive her not talking much, but she doesn't speak a word of English. I tell you, learning Kurdish was one of the hardest things I've ever done."

"Kurdish? Ronald Weasley, you have some explaining to do!" Ginny snapped.

"Bloody hell, you sound just like Mum when you do that, Gin," Ron laughed.

"But where have you been?" Harry asked. "Not that we're not grateful for you appearing in the nick of time like that. Our necks were really on the chopping block there, but how did you manage to pop up just when we needed you?"

"Ah, actually we've been hunting down Malfoy since Christmas. We nearly got him at Malfoy Manor last month, but the git got away. This is the first time he's left the protection of Hogwarts and we were able to get a clear shot at him," Ron replied.

"But…" began Ginny.

"It's probably easier if I start from the beginning," Ron sighed. "After I ran away, I really hadn't got a clue what to do. The fact I could do magic without being detected helped, and I survived by nicking stuff from Muggle shops. Then, one day, I saw Mum out looking for me and I knew I had to get out of the country. I went into one of those Muggle libraries and did a bit of research. I decided that India sounded a pretty cool place to visit."

"Research in a library? Hermione will be proud of you," Harry chuckled.

"Yeah, you better not tell her, she might have a heart attack," Ron laughed. "Anyway, I started my journey by following something the Muggles call the Silk Route. I got through France and Italy fairly easily, and then stowed away on a ferry that ended up in Turkey. I then decided to cut across a country called Iraq and that's where my troubles began. One day, I was passing through a small village when it was suddenly attacked by Muggles with tanks and helicopters. The inhabitants of the village defended themselves, amazingly, with a combination of magic and Muggle weapons. Well, long story short, I got mixed up in the fight and ended up saving a family from a group of Muggle soldiers who were going to shoot them on the spot."

"Bloody hell," Harry muttered.

"The village was Kurdish, and the soldiers were Iraqi, with whom they've been in conflict with for years," Ron continued. "Kurdish society is amazing; magic users live openly side by side with Muggles. They figure that they're all just Kurds, you know, no matter what skills they possess. One man will fight with a wand while the other fights with a Kalashnikov."

"A what?" Ginny asked in puzzlement.

"Oh, a Russian gun," Ron explained. "We use lots of weapons we captured from the Iraqis. See, my darling wife here is a hotshot with that SKS rifle of hers. She takes the bloody thing to bed with her, I kid you not."

"How did you two get together?" Harry asked, looking at the girl warily.

"Ah, well, you see the family I saved were relatives of Ariya and she was… err… quite grateful. She was just showing me her gratitude when her father walks in on us. Next thing I know, we're being married with the barrel of a gun being pointed at my head the whole time. I was suddenly stuck in a strange, dangerous place that was being attacked by a Muggle army, with a fifteen year old wife who couldn't understand a bloody word I said! It was a bit of a shocker, I can tell you!" he snorted.

"But you seem pretty happy now," Harry pointed out.

"Yeah, well, once I began to learn the language I realised what Ariya's people were up against. I really wanted to help and I joined the armed group that was defending the village. We really had some close scrapes, believe me! I also started to learn the local lingo and once I began to understand what Ariya was saying, I came to realise what a brilliant person she was. She's so strong and brave, not to mention beautiful. We really didn't know each other when we married, but we fell in love pretty quickly," Ron explained with a sappy smile on his lips.

"Amazing," Ginny gasped, "but that doesn't explain what you're doing here."

"Ah, you have Ariya to thank for that," Ron said, hugging his wife. "A few months ago, I explained exactly what happened to me here at Hogwarts to her. I think I'd been avoiding talking about it up to then. As I was explaining it to her, a thought occurred to me. For about a year and a half, I absolutely hated Harry's guts. I'd gone from being his best mate to wanting to kill him in the blink of an eye, and you know what? I couldn't really explain why. Then I realised something else; I didn't really feel that way about him anymore. Hell, I was actually really pleased when I heard you two were betrothed. Honestly, Harry, did you know you're even famous in the Middle East? Anyway, that got me thinking. All this anger towards Harry seemed to get worse and worse the more I talked to Draco Malfoy."

"Oh, shit! He was using the Confundus Charm on you, wasn't he?" Ginny gasped in horror.

"Got it in one. I should have realised when he used it on that git McLaggen to ensure I got a spot on the Gryffindor Quidditch team. A 'favour for a friend' he called it. That pompous bastard didn't get my place on the team, by the way, did he?" asked Ron plaintively.

"Sorry, we didn't have a lot of other options," Harry apologised.

"Don't worry, Harry managed to knock some of the arrogance out of him. In fact, he nearly made the git piss his pants," Ginny grinned.

"Wish I'd been there to see that," Ron laughed. "Anyway, once I got out of the country, I found that all my anger towards Harry just slipped away, and I was just gutted that I'd done the things I'd done. After talking to Ariya, the Knut dropped and I realised what had happened. My darling wife then decided that there was a blood-feud between our family and the Malfoys, and I was honour-bound to extract revenge. You can see why I love her so much, can't you?"

"I'm beginning to," Ginny admitted, smiling at the impassive girl.

"We arrived back in the country in November and have been hunting Malfoy ever since. Unfortunately, he was too well protected at the Manor, so we followed him here hoping he'd stick his neck out. We've been camped in the Forest for the last few weeks, but when we heard the sound of fighting we came to investigate, and, ta-da, we find Malfoy served to us on a plate. Cheers, guys!"

"We should be thanking you," Harry insisted. "Dolohov had us at his mercy. You really saved our skins."

"Well, maybe it makes up for all the stuff I did previous," Ron ventured hesitantly. "Am I forgiven?"

"Yeah, you are. Welcome back, mate," Harry said offering his hand.

Ron strode forwards and shook it warmly before pulling Harry into a hug.

"Ouch, careful, my arm got cut open," Harry moaned.

"Oh, bugger, I forgot you were injured," Ginny cried. She ran to the fallen body of Dolohov and grabbed her wand, before casting a healing charm on Harry's wound.

As she turned, she found Ariya was now standing directly behind her with an unreadable expression on her face.

"Sis… sisters?" the Kurdish girl asked hesitantly.

"Sisters," Ginny confirmed, before grabbing the girl and pulling her into a hug, rifle and all.

"Your parents are going to be pleased to see you," she heard Harry say. "Your mum's been going spare."

"Ah, that's the thing, now we've polished off Malfoy, we're heading straight back," Ron said apologetically.

"What?" Ginny screeched, letting go of Ariya. "You're not even going to say hello to the rest of the family?"

"Ginny, if Mum catches sight of me, she'll never let me leave. Technically, I'm not an adult for another couple of months and I need to get back home as soon as possible," he explained. "For the first time in my life, people need me. Believe it or not, I'm actually one of the best magic users our community and I've been helping teach the youngsters. Ariya's father is one of the village elders, and as he had no son of his own, he's dragged me into the governing council. There, I'm not just the youngest, least-accomplished Weasley, I really matter! People trust my opinions and rely on me. They need me back. Besides, I'm not ready to face the others yet. Soon, I think, but not yet."

"It sounds like you've got a pretty amazing life for yourself," Harry told his friend. "Is there anything we can do to help Ariya's people?"

"Nah, I don't think…" he began.

"Ron, we raided Malfoy Manor last summer and nicked a load of really valuable jewellery from them. After everything that's happened, I think you'd be entitled to a cut in the proceeds. It would only be fair," Ginny insisted.

"Well, we're always short on cash. The village doctor does need to buy some more medicines," he pondered.

"Just tell us where to send the money," Harry interrupted. "The Malfoys owe you big time, and just think how much they would hate the idea of their cash being spent to help a mixed Muggle/Wizard community."

"You're right," Ron agreed. He pulled out a piece of paper and scribbled something on it. "This is the address of a Kurdish contact we have in this country. I'll let him know you're coming. Just give whatever you think is fair to him and he'll see it gets spent well."

"I will do," Harry confirmed. "Ron, I…"

Ariya suddenly interrupted, speaking rapidly in her own language. Ron looked warily back towards the castle.

"Someone's coming and I really don't want to be discovered here. We'd best be off. Harry, mate, I probably don't need to say it, but look after my sister. Ginny, tell the others that I love them and that I'm sorry. Please try and convince Mum not to come and look for me, huh?" he begged.

"I will, Ron. I'm sorry for all the cruel things I said to you. You're my brother and I love you," Ginny said, running up and hugging him.

Ron dropped a quick kiss on the top of her head and started to move away. He'd moved a few feet before he stopped and looked back at Harry.

"Is Hermione doing okay?" he asked plaintively.

"She's doing well," Harry replied gently. "She'll be sorry she missed you."

"Tell her that I'm sorry. Tell her I just couldn't be the person she wanted me to be," he said apologetically and then he was gone into the night, with his tiny but well-armed wife beside him.

"Harry! Ginny! Are you okay?" called a voice.

They turned and saw Eddie, Hermione and Luna running towards them. Following closely behind were Dumbledore, McGonagall and, surprisingly, Professor Vector.

"We're fine," Harry called as they approached.

"Did you get Dolohov and Malfoy?" Hermione asked.

"Yeah," Harry confirmed pointing at their bodies lying in the dark. "We had a bit of help, though."

"Quite a lot of help, actually," Ginny added, staring sadly into the darkness where her brother had vanished.

HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP

"I call to order this meeting of the Prince Harry and Lady Ginevra Admiration Conglomeration," Sirius announced happily. "Oh, and happy Easter everyone, too."

"You've missed coming up with these stupid names, haven't you?" Harry groaned from his seat on the other side of Grimmauld Place's kitchen table.

"I have indeed, and I've had months of bed rest to come up with new ones," Sirius said smugly.

"You'll be getting plenty more bed rest if you call me Ginevra again," Ginny growled.

"Are you really sure you want to marry that one, Harry?" Sirius asked his godson in a conspiratory manner. "I mean, she's a bit stroppy, isn't she?"

"Eva?" Harry pleaded in a resigned tone.

"Of course, Harry," Eva replied with a sweet smile, before she hit her husband hard on the arm.

"Ouch! That hurt, woman," Sirius moaned.

"It was meant to," Eva told him sternly. "Now, do you want to get on with this?"

"Of course, my delicate and entirely non-aggressive angel," Sirius agreed quickly. "Unfortunately, due to my enforced absence, I'm a bit behind on what's been happening. My darling wife, wracked with concern at my wellbeing, as refused to tell me bugger-all until now, so I need a bit of a catch-up. Bill, perhaps you would like to start?"

"Thanks, Sirius," Bill responded. "By now, you should have all received the proceeds of the jewellery sales into your Gringotts accounts. As agreed, myself, Ginny, Harry, Percy and Hermione have all donated a share to pass on to Ron. Oh, Harry? I did check out that contact my brother gave you and it was legitimate. The man runs a charity supporting Kurdish refugees based here in London."

"I still can't believe Ron's married," Hermione said in disbelief.

"Yeah, and that was one girl you don't want to mess with," Ginny noted.

"It looks like all the Weasley offspring are destined to marry young," Bill noted. "Why, I don't think even Fred and George are going to escape, not if Alicia and Angelina have their way. Although which girl marries which twin is up for debate."

"Charlie being the exception, of course," Ginny pointed out.

"Oh, I don't know," Harry objected. "He did seem very taken with Tabitha the Welsh Green. I'm sure they'd make a lovely couple."

"Now that's one wedding I would like to attend!" Sirius sniggered.

"Well, as you know, the Ministry investigation into all the marked Death Eaters has concluded," Tonks said, taking over. "The Auror Office has officially declared that all Death Eaters have now been accounted for. Personally, I suspect that one or two might have fallen through the cracks, but if they have, then they're only low-ranking, unimportant members. Oh, Harry, you might be interested to hear that Severus Snape has been sentenced to three years in Azkaban."

"What? I didn't hear about this," Harry exclaimed, looking like Christmas had come early.

"Yeah, and he was bloody lucky to only get three years. Apparently, to gain entry to the Death Eaters, Snape killed his own father, who was a Muggle. He would be looking at a life sentence, but Dumbledore intervened and pleaded for leniency due to his spying activities. Amelia nearly threw both of them in prison, actually. After all, the Order of the Phoenix was never an official organisation and Snape should have been reporting to the Ministry, but she was convinced to be merciful. Dumbledore's used up a lot of good-will in getting Snape's sentence reduced, though. Put it like this, I don't think he will be Chief Warlock for very much longer."

"Oh, this day just keeps getting better and better," Harry beamed.

"Personally, I'm pissed off that Snivellus got such a reduced sentence," Sirius tutted. "Still, it means he'll never teach at Hogwarts again, at any rate. But let's move onto the subject I really want to hear about: the Horcruxes. Eva's hinted that we've made some real progress, but hit a bit of a snag. What's happening?"

"We think we have only one Horcrux left to deal with," Remus told his friend before launching into a detailed account of how they dealt with the ring, cup and diadem.

"So, we've just got this locket to find?" Sirius queried. "Have we no clues at all?"

"Just this note that was left inside the fake locket," Remus confirmed handing a copy of the note to Sirius.

Sirius scanned the note intensely for a moment, but then stopped abruptly. His eyes went wide and his mouth dropped open.

"Sirius? Does this R.A.B. mean something to you?" Hermione asked hopefully.

"Of course it does. R.A.B. is my brother, Regulus," he replied in a shaky voice.

"Regulus? Oh, damn it! I knew those initials were familiar," Remus cursed.

"By why didn't we find any mention of this in official records?" Hermione protested.

"Regulus's involvement with the Death Eaters was kept extremely quiet," Sirius explained. "He was, after all, a member of a Noble and Most Ancient house, and the Ministry liked to hush-hush such things. Besides, his body was never found. All these years, I thought he fought for Voldemort willingly…"

"Do you have any idea what your brother might have done with the locket?" Eva asked urgently.

"Well, he was extremely close to that deranged elf Kreacher, so it's possible he might have hidden it for him," Sirius speculated.

"So, it might still be here in this house?" Harry gasped.

"It's possible," Sirius admitted, his eye widening. "Harry, all those Dark objects we cleared out of the house when we moved in here. They're still in the cellar!"

"Dobby!" Harry called. "We need you!"

The little elf appeared with a soft pop.

"Dobby, do you remember, when we cleared out the house just after I moved in, we boxed up a load of Dark objects and stuck them in the cellar. Do you recall if there was a locket among those objects?" Harry asked eagerly.

"There were a number of lockets, Master Harry," Dobby replied. "All of them were nasty things, and Dobby sealed them away well."

"We need to see those lockets immediately. Can you get them for us?" Harry asked, obviously struggling to remain calm.

"Of course," Dobby replied, and with a snap of his fingers he was gone.

It was an agonising ten minutes before he returned clutching a small wooden box which he carefully placed on the kitchen table. Harry and Eva leapt up and opened it. As soon as the box was open, Harry let out a gasp. With a trembling hand, he reached in and withdrew a heavy gold locket with a serpentine S inlayed on the front.

"This is it," he breathed. "We've found the last Horcrux."

Ginny leapt to her feet and kissed him enthusiastically. The rest of the group started clapping and cheering enthusiastically. It was several minutes before things calmed down.

"So, what happens now?" Luna asked. "Another trip to Romania, perhaps? Can I come this time? I'd love to meet Charlie's dragon girlfriend."

"I think we should all go, this time," Eva decided. "This could be the culmination of everything we've worked for."

"Yeah, and I think we need to invite a couple more people, as well. Amelia, for one. She needs to know that we've destroyed the last Horcrux. And, as much as I hate to say it, Dumbledore should be included," Ginny announced grimly.

"Dumbledore?" Sirius repeated in shock. "Why invite him?"

"Because he needs to know that Voldemort has been dealt with. I have this feeling that old Dumbles is convinced that Voldemort has to be in a corporeal form to be killed outright, but I'm pretty certain that's bollocks. I'll bet my last pair of knickers that this last Horcrux is the only thing securing Voldemort's soul to this plain of existence. Once it's destroyed, he'll just float away like a feather on the wind," Ginny confirmed. "We'll tell Dumbledore that we've found a Horcrux and let him watch us destroy it. Only then will we tell him that we've destroyed all the other ones, as well. If he's still convinced that he has to engineer some final confrontation between Harry and snake features, he's going to have a bloody hard time arranging it!"

"That sounds good," Sirius agreed. "Romania, here we come!"

HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP

Two days later, a sizable group of witches and wizards could be found standing outside the enclosure of Tabitha the Welsh Green dragon. Charlie, the dragon handler, was looking around uncomfortably, clearly rattled by the august company he had.

"Would it be possible to explain why I've been asked to come all the way here now?" Dumbledore asked mildly. "As gratifying as it is to visit a former pupil and see what a fine job he is doing in caring for endangered species, I feel there must be something behind this most unusual get-together."

"We thought you would be very keen to witness this event, Albus," Sirius said with an insincere smile. "You see, we've managed to locate one of Voldemort's Horcruxes and are about to destroy it."

"Indeed?" Dumbledore said with interest. "What is this object and how did you manage to locate it?"

"It's a locket that belonged to Salazar Slytherin himself," Sirius explained. "How we came by it? Well, it was purely by chance. It appears my brother, Regulus, stole it from Voldemort and hid it at Grimmauld Place. We discovered it purely by accident."

"Most fortuitous," Dumbledore noted. "I am concerned, however, that so many people now know of its existence. Perhaps it would be best if…"

"They were all there when it was discovered," Sirius interrupted. "We were hosting a dinner party for family and friends when our house-elf popped up and said he'd found something suspicious in the cellar. We realised what it was at once, of course, and rather blurted it out in front of everyone. Naturally, they all wanted to come along to see it dealt with."

"There will be no Obliviations, Albus, so get that idea out of your head," Amelia Bones said in a firm voice. "Everyone present has proved they are trustworthy, and I'll not have you playing god with peoples' lives."

"I don't think you realise the seriousness of this, Amelia," Dumbledore began.

"And I don't think that you realise that you have no say in the matter," Amelia snapped. "If I get the slightest hint that you've disobeyed my direct instructions you'll be spending some quality time in Azkaban, and I'm pretty sure we've figured out how to prevent Phoenixes entering the place, too."

"As you wish, my dear," Dumbledore conceded. "I just hope that this doesn't come back to haunt us. I would like to know, however, why we have come here to destroy it? Back at Hogwarts we have a proved method of destroying a Horcrux: a fang from a basilisk."

"Which someone has to physically stick into the bloody thing," Harry pointed out. "Trust me, Headmaster, I know how risky that can be."

"I suppose, and I concede that dragon fire should be a fool proof means of destroying one, too," the old man acknowledged.

"So why is he moaning about it then?" Ginny muttered quietly. Harry just smirked at her.

"Right, well, we're going to Levitate the locket out into the dragon enclosure and then Charlie is going to cast an illusion of a rival dragon over it. The lovely Tabitha should then take care of this little problem for us," Sirius explained.

Dumbledore merely nodded and everyone gathered at the edge of the enclosure to watch the events unfold. Things went exactly as they had done before, save this time Harry wasn't crippled with pain. Ginny smiled as her boyfriend casually draped his arms around her, unaffected by whatever desperate attempts the last Horcrux was making to protect itself.

"Here we go! Tabitha's about to breathe fire at the illusion," Charlie announced.

A split second later, the illusionary dragon, and the locket beneath it, was engulfed in a jet of flame. If anything, it was even more impressive than the last time they witnessed it. Tabitha's eggs had hatched and she now had a clutch of baby dragons to defend, resulting in her bathing her apparent foe in a sea of fire. By the time the dragon had finished, the whole area was scorched black and what little plant life had been present was completely eradicated.

"Well, that was a sight to behold," Dumbledore commented.

"Yes, it's an incredible thing to…" Charlie began, but then suddenly paused and looked around him. "What's that noise?"

The group went quiet. Ginny began to notice a strange wailing noise, sounding like it was coming from far away. The noise was getting louder, however, as if whatever was making the sound was getting closer. Harry removed his arms from around her and drew his wand.

"What the…" Sirius started to say, but was interrupted by a scream so terrible it caused all present to cover their ears.

Ginny fell to her knees, her hands pressed to the side of her head in a desperate attempt to block out the dreadful noise. She could feel the ground beneath her vibrating and she felt like she was going to be sick. Then, as suddenly as the screaming had started, it stopped. She warily climbed to her feet, when Hermione's shocked voice caused her to look up.

"Oh, my god!" Hermione cried, fear evident in her voice. Ginny turned to look in the direction her friend was facing and her blood ran cold. There, standing only a few yards away, was Voldemort.

"You foul, worthless wretches," the snake-faced monster spat. "I will rend the flesh from your bones."

Harry roughly pushed Ginny behind him and pointed his wand at the Dark wizard standing before him.

"Nobody interfere," he called decisively. "It's got to be this way: me and him."

Ginny gaped at Voldemort, trying to fathom how he could possibly be here. Had Dumbledore been right? Had they needed to ensure that Voldemort was in corporeal form when they destroyed the last Horcrux? How did the Dark Lord manage to suddenly appear here? Her brain raced as she watched her hated nemesis float towards the man she loved, intent on killing him. Would Harry be able to… wait a minute! Floating?

"Harry," Ginny began, finally understanding what was happening.

"No, I mean it, stay back, Ginny," Harry yelled, his wand still held out purposely before him.

"You cannot defeat him, Harry," Dumbledore called out, hurrying forward. "It is not the time!"

"Harry…" Ginny tried again.

"You're not facing him alone, Harry," Sirius bellowed, leaping to Harry's side with his wand drawn. Eva instantly rushed to stand defiantly by her husband's side.

"You vile, filthy creatures," Voldemort cursed. "You hideous traitors to the purity of the Wizarding World. I will make you all beg for death a thousand times!"

"Harry…" Ginny yelled insistently.

"We're all with you, Harry," Bill cried. The others all yelled their support and suddenly there were a dozen wands pointed at Voldemort. Ginny sighed in frustration.

"Oh, buggering hell," she spat and stomped forward.

"Ginny!" Harry yelled in dismay and tried to grab her arm. She evaded him and marched forward.

"You dirty, blood-traitor," Voldemort raged at her. "I will make Potter watch as I rip your still-beating heart from your chest and crush it between my fingers."

Ginny walked purposely up to Voldemort and stopped just a few inches away from him. She swung her arm as if she was going to slap the evil wizard in the face. Her hand, however, passed straight through him with no visible effect. Ginny shivered at the cold sensation.

"What the f…" Sirius gasped.

"He's a ghost," Ginny said, turning to face them all. "You can relax now, Voldemort has absolutely no power to harm you anymore."

"I don't understand," Dumbledore gasped.

"I'm afraid we haven't been very honest with you, Professor," Ginny admitted to the old man. "You see, this wasn't the first Horcrux we brought here to destroy. Last summer we had Tabitha the wonder dragon melt Marvolo Gaunt's ring, Helga Hufflepuff's cup and Rowena Ravenclaw's diadem. The locket was the fourth Horcrux we destroyed here.

"Of course, Tom's diary was destroyed in my second year, Nagini was killed in the Ministry of Magic last year and the Soul Bonding Ritual I did with Ginny took care of the one in me," Harry added, still sounding a bit shaken.

"But then…" Dumbledore stammered.

"Voldemort is finished," Ginny confirmed. "The last anchors his remaining soul part had were destroyed and, as he didn't currently have a body for it to be housed in, had no choice but to pass from this real of existence. Clearly, Riddle didn't have the balls to face whatever comes next and chose to remain here as a ghost. That wasn't something we were expecting, but it hardly matters. He has no more power than The Fat Friar or Moaning Myrtle now. He can spend the rest of his days howling to the wind, unless he grows a pair and chooses to move on."

"But you don't understand! By doing this you have doomed Voldemort's mortal soul to an eternity of pain! Without some form of redemption, his splintered soul will be cursed forever," Dumbledore said in horror.

"That was it? The reason you wanted Voldemort to gain human form? Just so his soul had a chance of redemption in the next life?" Ginny spat angrily.

"Condemning someone's soul to eternal suffering, even someone as evil as Voldemort, is a terrible thing, Miss Weasley, and an act I will not be party to," Dumbledore replied heatedly.

"And what about the people that would have been killed or tortured if Voldemort had returned?" Harry yelled. "What about them? It was that bastard's choice to cut his soul into pieces. He knew the risks and has to pay the price!"

"You don't know what you're talking about, boy," the old wizard growled. "Yes, innocents may have suffered as a result of his return, but their pain and suffering would be temporary and they would have found release in the next life. Tom Riddle now has no such option, and his sundered soul will live in agony forever."

"Then that seems a fitting punishment," Amelia Bones announced, stepping forward. "What gave you the right to decide what should happen to Voldemort? What right had you to calmly decide that innocents must be sacrificed just so a man who voluntarily vandalised his own soul had a chance of redemption? In short, Albus Dumbledore, who made you god?"

"Clearly, no one else understands the implications of this," Dumbledore said gravely. "Therefore, I had no choice other than to make hard and at times unpleasant choices. I maintain I was right and what happened here is a tragedy."

"Maybe, but I for one realise the necessity of it," Bones replied in a cold, hard voice. "It's become clear to me that your judgement has become suspect, Dumbledore. I dread to think what could have happened if these fine people here had not chosen to ignore you and fight the Dark Lord in their own way. I stand behind them one hundred per cent, and totally endorse what happened here today. Moreover, I believe your influence could have resulted in untold loss of life and suffering. You were once a good and great man, Albus, but I can no longer trust you."

"Amelia, I…" he began.

"No! I will not listen to your honeyed words and feeble excuses. Your time is finished, Dumbledore. Yesterday, a secret vote was taken by the Wizengamot and it was overwhelmingly agreed that you should be removed as Chief Warlock. In addition, I am hereby terminating your position as Headmaster of Hogwarts. I have already spoken to Professor McGonagall and she has agreed to replace you as Headmistress. Trust me, once I reveal just how badly standards have dipped at the school under your leadership, there will be no complaints at your removal. Finally, I am withdrawing the British Ministry's sanction for your position as Supreme Mugwump of the International Confederation of Wizards. I'm sure I don't have to remind you, without your own country's approval, you cannot remain in that position. If you have any sense, you will announce your retirement now and spare us all the bitter fallout this is all likely to cause. Trust me, Dumbledore, if you don't go willingly, I know enough to blacken your name forever," Bones told him sternly.

Dumbledore looked at her with a sorrowful expression on his face.

"Has it really come to this, Amelia?" he asked. "After all that I have done, all that I have suffered, I'm to be cast out like a beggar?"

"You have the choice to walk away now with your dignity, not to mention a respectable pension, intact. Frankly, I think that's more then you deserve," the intimidating witch replied.

"I agree," Harry said angrily. "You made my life hell, Dumbledore, and you were happy to set me up as your unwitting sacrifice. If you don't retire like Amelia suggests, so help me, I'll go to every newspaper I can find and tell them all your dirty little secrets."

"Oh, we could do a special edition of The Quibbler," Luna announced happily. "Perhaps we could give away free a 'Dumbledore is a lying git' poster with ever copy!"

"Great idea, Luna," Ginny chuckled.

Dumbledore nodded his head in a defeated manner.

"I know my mistakes have been numerous and no one regrets the pain you have suffered more than I, Harry," he acknowledged. "Perhaps it is time for me to fade into the background. Heaven knows, nothing I have done in the last few years has been correct, and I do feel my advancing years. Perhaps Elphias and I can finally take that world tour we planned so very long ago. That would be most pleasant."

"A wise decision, Albus," Amelia agreed. "We do, after all, have a new generation to take care of things now, and from the little I have seen so far, I think we're in good hands."

Ginny walked over to Harry and slipped her hand into his. He turned and gave her a smile of pure, unrestrained happiness.

"It's over, Ginny," Harry said warmly. "We're free to do whatever we want."

"Nah, it's not over," she said smiling. "Our lives have only just begun."

EPILOGE – SIX YEARS LATER

Ginny stopped to wipe the sweat from her brow. The dense Indonesian jungle was hot and humid, and they'd been walking for over an hour now.

Their guide was becoming more agitated with each passing minute. His eyes swivelled in their sockets as he peered nervously around him.

"He's going to leg it any minute," Harry whispered into her ear.

She turned and looked at her husband with a smirk on her face.

"Yeah, but we should be near enough to the temple that it doesn't matter. He'd just be in the way if he sticks around, anyway," she pointed out.

"Very true," Harry agreed, offering her a drink of water from his canteen.

She watched him as she drank. The last few years had been very kind to Harry, and he now possessed the kind of body most women would kill to get their hands on. He was tall, lean and muscular, and his sweat soaked clothes were doing very little to hide his physique. His jet-black hair, current shoulder-length, and his startling green eyes all had the power to reduce the coldest females to gibbering wrecks. Playfully, she let the fingers of her left hand caress his sinewy thigh. He grinned at her.

"Feeling playful, are we?" he challenged.

"Well, we haven't had any fun since that hotel back in Jakarta, and if our flighty guide decides to bugger off…" she hinted tantalisingly.

"Actually, I think he already has," Harry noted looking around him.

Ginny turned around in surprise. She hadn't even heard the little runt go. Still, no great loss, they'd only hired him at the last village because he claimed to know an easy route to the ruined temple.

Sighing, Harry pulled out a worn-looking map from his pocket and studied it.

"I think we're pretty close, actually. If I'm not mistaken, I can hear running water up ahead and I think that's the last river we have to cross. From there, we should be able to see the ruins and hopefully we'll find out if this Dark wizard actually exists or not," he commented.

"Oh, I'm sure he exists," she grunted. "Although I expect he's some tin-pot little magician who just gets his jollies terrorising the locals with his half-baked spells. They always are."

"What about that bloke in Mongolia?" Harry objected. "He was a bloody handful."

"You always bring up Mongolia," Ginny huffed. "Okay, I admit I underestimated that wanker, but you must admit the rewards outweighed the risk."

"Maybe," Harry replied doubtfully.

It was an old argument. In the four years they had been traveling the world, they had rarely encountered anyone with a fraction of the magical power that either of them possessed. But hunting Dark wizards was only a small part of what they did, although they weren't averse to taking the odd commission to do so. Their main employment came from the goblins who frequently requested them to seek out lost artefacts or find lost treasure hordes. For the bigger jobs, Bill and Fleur often accompanied them and, on occasions where her knowledge of magical creatures was required, Luna. They often worked alone, though, which, if Ginny was honest, was what she preferred. Much more opportunity for fun!

"Well, we should have four or five hours of daylight left," Harry noted. "Hopefully, we can wrap this job up today."

"Good. I vote we then take a couple of weeks off. We've been busy lately and I could do with a rest," she decided.

"Sounds good," he agreed. "Where do you want to go?"

"Morocco," Ginny said decisively. "We haven't spent any time in the house there since we bought it. That beautiful pool is calling to me, plus, I really fancy some Moroccan food right now."

"Morocco it is," he agreed with a grin. "Do you want to invite Luna over for the second week?"

"It depends. Is she still seeing that dippy witch with the horrible dyed hair?" she asked hesitantly.

"Good grief, no!" Harry laughed. "Luna dumped her ages ago. She's seeing some wizard from Italy at the moment, I think."

"Well, as long as she doesn't want to drag this bloke along," Ginny conceded. "She really does have a strange taste in men."

"Tell me about it," Harry smirked mischievously.

Ginny laughed. "Come on, then, stud. Let's polish off whoever this dopy twat is hiding in the ruins. The faster we do that, the sooner I can get laid, have a hot bath and eat a huge plate of kefta."

"Sounds like a plan," Harry agreed. "Come on, love, let's get to work."

She followed her husband down the path towards the river, feeling his excitement at their new adventure growing through their soul bond. She would never have guessed that when, all those years ago, she approached that frustrated young wizard who had just been entered into the Triwizard Tournament against his will, it would have resulted in the wonderful life she led today. Sometimes, she pondered, you just had to take a gamble. And sometimes, those gambles paid off.


End file.
